Michael Storer thanked new Tudor Pro Cycling teammate Julian Alaphilippe for aiding him in victory on stage 7 of Paris-Nice, calling the Frenchman’s assist “tremendous motivating” throughout a grim day within the saddle.
Australian Storer scored the seventh win of his profession on the summit end of Auron on stage 7, triumphing from the breakaway on the finish of a 109km stage that had been abridged resulting from poor climate at excessive altitude.
He had made the primary break of 12 riders up the highway throughout the early kilometres of the stage, after which discovered Alaphilippe with him for the journey when the previous World Champion bridged throughout with a number of different sturdy riders.
Despite the presence of Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla) and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) within the group, Storer proved the strongest on the closing 7.3km, 7.2% climb to win the day.
“It’s actually nice to win once more. It was very chilly, however I had a extremely good day,” Storer mentioned after the stage.
“It would not occur typically {that a} two-time World Champion rides for you,” he mentioned, referring to Alaphilippe. “That was tremendous motivating. My different teammates helped me all week too.”
Storer is racing his second yr on the Swiss ProWorkforce, an bold squad which made its Grand Tour debut eventually yr’s Giro d’Italia. Alaphilippe signed over the winter together with different main names, Marc Hirschi and Marco Haller, because the group goals for a Tour de France wildcard.
It had been the plan throughout the stage for Alaphilippe to go solo into the break, Storer defined, however issues got here out in a different way throughout the early kilometres of the stage.
“The plan was for under Julian to go,” he mentioned. “I simply rode on feeling. I simply adopted my teammate Marco Haller.
“That wasn’t the intention, however we had been on the entrance. Then we acquired right into a very nice group. Then Julian crossed. That was good. He’s distinctive. He feels the race.
“I believe he knew we had a very good likelihood from that group. Julian knew we had been going to make it. He was crucial rider for the group as we speak. I’m joyful I used to be adequate to complete it off.”
Along with the victory, Tudor’s fourth of the season and first at WorldTour degree, the stage outcome sees Storer – who completed a minute forward of the GC group – leap 9 spots into fourth total.
He now lies 2:25 down on race chief Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) heading into Sunday’s concluding stage 8, the normal quick however robust race within the hills round Nice.
“That’s a pleasant bonus, however the stage win is crucial,” Storer concluded, not giving something away about his plans for the finale.
