Cycling: Julian Alaphilippe sprints to victory after peloton races past fire in Milan-San Remo

Julian Alaphilippe underlined his status as the top male cyclist so far this season by winning the Milan-San Remo classic on Saturday. The Frenchman, who rides for Quick-Step, edged Oliver Naesen of AG2R and Michal Kwiatkowski of Team Sky in a ten-man sprint at the end of the 291-kilometre (181-mile) route along the Italian Riviera. Three-time world champion Peter Sagan finished fourth. It was Alaphilippe's seventh win this season, adding to his Strade Bianche title earlier this month and stage victories in the Vuelta a San Juan (2), the Tour of Colombia and the Tirreno-Adriatico (2). Alaphilippe attacked on the final climb up the Poggio and was followed by a small elite group to set up the sprint. Fausto Masnada, the last remaining rider from an early ten-man breakaway, was caught with 25 kilometres to go.