“It’s nice to be a bit of a protagonist up front. I was sick at the start of the Tour, and I had difficulty recovering. The objective today was to protect Anthony for a sprint, and also to be present after the intermediate sprint. I attacked and created a gap in front of the peloton. No one followed me and I quickly dug in. I knew it was complicated, as the race was going so fast. I didn't believe in victory. We already knew before the start that it was 95% likely for a sprint. Still, I had to try and show the jersey and to gain a little confidence in myself. There will be two stages suitable for the breakaway tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and we will do everything possible to show that we have our place at this Tour de France. The goal is not to miss any breakaways between here and Nice. Our Tour is already successful with Anthony’s victory in the first week. Everything that happens from here is a bonus.”
