Christophe Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale) translated the form that saw him take the L’Alpe d’Huez stage of the Tour de France less than two weeks ago into a win on the queen stage as he won the second stage of the 2013 Tour of Poland, between Marilleva Val di Sole and the Passo Pordoi.

The French climbing specialist launched his attack out of a breakaway group of six riders that had begun the famous climb together and subsequently held on to take a solo victory on the 2,239 metre high Dolomite mountain pass.

“The stage was very difficult and it was a long day," said Riblon when speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport after the stage on Italian soil. "I was always in the lead break. It wasn't easy going. In the final there was a lot of wind and during the closing kilometres you could really feel it. Domenico Pozzovivo and I are the leaders of the team here at the Tour de Pologne, we'll see how it goes in Poland.”

Monday is a rest day as the peloton relocates from Italy to Poland.

"These two stages were arduous, and they selected the classification to a certain degree but in Poland there is still going to be a struggle," Riblon added. "For me anyway it was fantastic to win here after the victory at L’Alpe d’Huez. Two big thrills just a short while apart.”

As the race transfers to Poland, Riblon sits third overall, 6 seconds adrift of race leader Rafal Majka of Saxo-Tinkoff.