The 149.5 kilometres route from Zumarraga to Gorraiz featured two testing categorised climbs early on, as well as a short sections of dirt road as riders approached the finish.

The latter proved the most important on the second stage of the International Cycling Union WorldTour race, with one of the sections leading to a split in the peloton.

Britain’s Adam Yates and Alaphilippe were both forced to recover from mechanical incidents.

Yates was unable to rejoin the front group but Alaphilippe returned to the head of the race with impressive effect.

The Deceuninck-QuickStep rider produced a fast finish on a sharp final ascent to claim an impressive victory in a time of 3 hours 29 min 37 sec.

The victory continued an impressive season for the Frenchman, having won Strade Bianche, two stages at the Tirreno–Adriatico and a maiden monument win at Milan-San Remo.

Belgium’s Bjorn Lambrecht ended second on the stage, the Lotto Soudal rider ending one second behind the winner.

Team Sky’s Michal Kwiatkowski placed third for the second successive stage on the same time as Lambrecht.

Stage one winner Max Schachmann retained the overall race lead, aided by the German earning bonus seconds in an intermediate sprint.

He boasts a 10 second advantage over second placed Kwiatkowski.

Alaphilippe is one second further back in third after his stage win.

The six-stage race is due to continue tomorrow with a 191.4 km route from Sarriguren to Estibaliz.