Julian Alaphilippe abandons first race of the year

The French superstar had a glowing performance in the 2019 edition of the race, winning two stages and finishing second overall.

Alaphilippe won’t be taking to the start of the stage three time trial after winning the ITT convincingly last year.

The Vuelta a San Juan has proved a popular-early season testing ground for some of the biggest names in cycling, as Alaphilippe is joined by his team-mate Remco Evenpoel, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) racing south of the Equator.

“We wish him a speedy recovery.”

Vuelta a San Juan is a 2.Pro seven-stage race around the San Juan province in western Argentina.

A dog then caused a fall among the breakaway when running across the road on day two.

Julian Alaphilippe has been forced to abandon his first race of the race, the Vuelta a San Juan.

But it wasn’t to be for the Deceuninck – Quick-Step puncheur this year, as he has been taken out of the race after suffering from stomach problems ahead of stage three.

Alaphilippe is following the same season build-up to last year, starting in Argentina before he moves onto the Tour Colombia 2.1 early next month before moving onto his major goals for the year.

But both stages have been marred by avoidable crashes, after a spectator caused a huge collision on the opening day.

Quick-Step announced in a tweet on Tuesday (January 28): “Sadly, due to stomach problems, Julian Alaphilippe is forced to abandon the Vuelta a San Juan and won’t be at the start of today’s TT.

>>> ‘Better than last year? Impossible’: Julian Alaphilippe, a rider with the world at his feet 

The opening stage was taken by Israel Start-Up Nation’s Rudy Barbier in a chaotic sprint finish, while stage two went to Gaviria in a pure sprinter’s drag race to the line.