Dečuninck-Quick Step leader Julien Alaphilippe's hopes for a top overall finish in Paris-Nice were dashed on Monday when he suffered a puncture in the last 30km of stage 2, leaving him 1:25 behind the day's winner, Giacomo Nizzolo (NTT), and 1:25 behind overall leader Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) by 1:32.

This came a day after Alaphilippe attacked on Sunday's opening stage and finished fourth, 12 seconds ahead of the other favorites.

"I was part of the lead group when I got a puncture, and I was very close to the front group," Alaphilippe told L'Equipe magazine. By the time I switched bikes, I was already down to the third or fourth group."

A frenzied chase ensued, and Alaphilippe was helped by his entire team, including sprinters Sam Bennett, Yves Lampère, Michal Morkov, and Kasper Asgreen.

"My team did a great job of keeping my time loss down," he said.

He finished the stage in a group of 12 riders, including teammates Morkov, Zdenek Stibal, and pre-race favorite Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic), 1:25 back, still in 24th place, 1:32 behind Schachmann, He was the best overall rider of the Dečuninck-Quick Step.

"I'm not going to say the GC race is over, but it just got a lot harder. Especially if the coming stages are going to be at least as tough. But that's life and the race goes on.

While first stage winner Schachmann holds a 15-second lead over second stage winner Nizzolo, the real danger now is EF Pro Cycling climber Sergio Igita.