Quotes
Stage 8
192| Clément BRAZ AFONSO
Clément Braz Afonso: "I’ve really enjoyed myself"
"I wasn’t thinking about the polka dots at all at the start of the week. Even during my second breakaway, I let Benjamin Thomas take the points. One thing led to another, and I found myself leading the classification; once I had the jersey, I was determined to defend it. This is only my second World Tour season and winning a leader’s jersey at this level and wearing it for almost the whole week is rewarding.
That’s how I’ve tried to approach cycling since I turned pro – by going on the attack – because that’s what I enjoy,...
Stage 8
21| Juan AYUSO PESQUERA
Juan Ayuso: "An amazing ride to prepare for the Tour"
"I really tried my best because the team was amazing. It was a really hard start. Julien [Bernard] was dropped, Lenny [Kämna] too, and they fought back to help me. That was impressive and I’m super proud with how the team rode. I think we showed we were the strongest team. We controlled everything with no help. We could also see Toms [Skujins] and Quinn [Simmons] passing these super tough mountains. I was already suffering and these guys were pulling. They deserved a win, but Quinn could get one and we can be happy with finishing on the podium.
The road...
Stage 8
1| Isaac DEL TORO ROMERO
Isaac Del Toro: "Just insane"
"It’s super nice [to win the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes] obviously, I’m super happy. I did a recon of this climb a few months ago. It was nice to remember this recon with Tadej [Pogacar] and it’s super cool to win here with the team. It’s just insane. We fought for it and it’s really nice. I can’t believe it.
After yesterday, I knew everybody would look at me. Pablo [Torres], Kevin [Vermaerke], Pavel [Sivakov] and Benoît [Cosnefroy] did an incredible job today. Pablo’s launch was insane. I just kept going until...
Stage 8
166| Nadav RAISBERG
Nadav Raisberg: "An unbelievable feeling"
"I couldn’t have imagined this. Winning the green jersey wasn’t even a goal. I’m the same as every one. I dream, and having this jersey for just one day was already a dream. Now to win it is an unbelievable feeling.
It was an extremely hard week anyway, even without the fight for the jersey. I’m super proud and happy to make it to the line.
This gives me confidence. I’m part of the game."
Stage 8
81| Valentin PARET PEINTRE
Valentin Paret-Peintre: "It’s great fun riding like this"
"It’s a position I enjoy. I really enjoy riding like this in a good breakaway, and even if there’s no victory at the end, I’m still happy with my day.
The balance is really good. I felt good from the first day to the last and I even think I improved over the week. That was sort of the aim – to give myself confidence ahead of the Tour – and I’ve achieved that. That will be my goal for the season; I’ll be going for victories and, why not, the polka-dot jersey."
Stage 8
45| Luke TUCKWELL
Luke Tuckwell: "I could have never expected this"
"Am I actually second? Oh my god! It’s crazy. As a neo pro, I could have never expected this. I don’t realise what I’ve done this week, not at all. It will take some time to sink in.
I knew I had a minute on Ayuso, 40 seconds on Jorgenson. I wasn’t really concerned about keeping the lead because I kew Isaac [Del Toro] was so strong so I was just trying to focus on getting the best GC result I could. To only lose one spot is pretty incredible. I knew from the bottom what pace I had to ride. Maxim [Van Gils] saved me there. Without him, I would...
Stage 7
51| Paul SEIXAS
Paul Seixas: "I deserved to be left behind"
"It was my mistake, I have no excuse. I was going too fast through a bend. I’ve developed the habit of overtaking riders on the descent to make up places without spending too much myself, but it’s a risky strategy. Today I paid the price; I took too many risks. I misjudged a bend. I was going too fast. I apologise to all the riders I may have put in danger. I ended up between the ditch and the gravel; we were going down at 70 km/h and I skidded on the tarmac, burning myself all over.
I thought I wouldn’t be able to get back on. I was absolutely knackered,...
Stage 7
1| Isaac DEL TORO ROMERO
Isaac Del Toro: "Winning GC here has always been the goal"
"We wanted to try after how I felt yesterday. It’s kind of hard for me to manage these long climbs, but I’m getting used to it, and I’m doing better and better every race. I was not full of confidence but I really wanted to try to take the win today.
I think today was not my best performance, but I was up there so I’m super happy. I’m still hungry, so it keeps me going. Winning GC here has always been the goal.
I really enjoy what I’m living with this team. It’s just crazy to be in this position. When they start to...
Stage 6
192| Clément BRAZ AFONSO
Clément Braz Afonso: "No one really challenged me for the points"
"I’m happy with how it went. With such a big group, I didn’t have to work too hard. It was tough in the final stretch, but before that no one really challenged me for the points, so it was brilliant to be able to do that today. I said this morning that I was betting on Uno-X to cause chaos and turn the race upside down… They did it masterfully; they were key players, just like Tudor and Red Bull. They maintained very fast paces in the valleys and that’s what allowed us to see it through to the end.
We’d also thought about Guillaume [Martin...
Stage 6
45| Luke TUCKWELL
Luke Tuckwell: "In honour of my sister"
"We couldn’t believe the situation. On these big roads, we were actually expecting a really big fight for the breakaway, like the other day, when it took an hour and a half. This really big group went. I saw a few Uno-X guys jumping as well and I remembered what they did in Basque Country on the final day. I was there and I was suffering so I saw this as an opportunity. We had the perfect combination of teams and they just smashed it all day.
I knew pretty quickly that I was the closest on GC in that group, and I was only a minute down. But I tried to not spend...
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