Sandy Casar – “I could not lose...”

“I had a difficult first week after which I lost my hopes of a good result in the general classification. So it was from that moment that I began to think about this stage, because it suited me. The climbs were hard, but it's better for me when the finish is not at altitude.
“Since my second place behind Cyril Dessel in Jausiers [in 2008], I'm more methodical about my preparation for this type of finish. I knew it had to be at the front for the penultimate corner if I was to have a change of winning. But I did not expect to see the return of Andy Schleck, who immediately took the lead [after catching Casar’s group in the final kilometer]. So I gave it my all to pass him… Then I thought I would stay at the front for the final 200 meters, but it was actually 350. At that time I thought a lot about all these second places. I was obviously afraid of Luis Leon Sanchez, who had beaten me last year at St-Girons. I also knew that [Damiano] Cunego could be very fast. But I gave everything in the last two hundred meters, led by the idea that I could not lose. I think Sanchez has also made great efforts in the climb to the Col de la Madeleine.
“I dedicate this victory to my father, whom I thought in the final. As sprinter, I was always saying that in this type of situation, you had to tackle first. That's what I did.”