A stunning solo attack by Bob Jungels saw him claim his first Tour de France stage victory on the first Alpine finish of this year’s race.

And yet, despite all this, the opening weekend of the Tour still set hearts racing, with dramatic spills on the rain-slickened opening day followed by Alaphilippe's poignant win. Yet the show, for now at least, is most definitely on with Alaphilippe back in the race leader's iconic yellow jersey, once again showing the way. I will defend it with honor.The stage win was his fifth in four Tours. With teammate Bob Jungels leading the way on the final climb, up to the Quatre Chemins pass on the outskirts of Nice, Alaphilippe first positioned himself in his slipstream. The yellow jersey is the icing on the cake.Afterward, slumped by the roadside, he burst into tears.

Julian Alaphilippe of France competes in the Cycling Road Men's Individual Time Trial on Day 5 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Pontal on Aug.10, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)(CNN) - Going into the Tour de France's first big mountain climb in the Pyrenees, the question was: How much time would Geraint Thomas make up on Julian Alaphilippe? Alaphilippe was a mere six seconds behind in second for the stage, while Thomas, of Wales, had to settle for eighth, 36 seconds adrift. Alaphilippe had solidified his hold on the yellow jersey with a time-trial win Friday that boosted his advantage to one minute, 36 seconds over Thomas. Sunday's 15th stage from Limoux to Foix Prat d'Albis is another draining mountain climb and even longer at 185 kilometers (115 miles).