“The truth is I was the strongest of the escape group today and I knew that I could improve my position in the overall standings and win a stage. Dessel wanted to get the polka-dot jersey and the yellow jersey and was prepared to negotiate but I didn’t want to; I preferred to take my chances. _ “I think I was stronger in the last kilometer and I gave it everything in final sprint. A victory is a victory and it’s difficult to compare it the stage I won in Lons-le-Saunier. It was really difficult to get into the right escape group this morning because the peloton was reacting to every move. It was great to be in the right one but it was important to push on with the effort until we knew that the bunch wouldn’t chase anymore.”
Interview
July 12
th
2006
- 18:12
Juan Miguel Mercado – "I knew I could win a stage..."
