Tom Boonen - "I'm in no hurry..."

“It really was a great day for me with the yellow jersey on my shoulders. I had to know what the sensation was like to lead the Tour de France and now I’ve done that for one day at least. Of course it was wonderful but to win the stage is still my intention – especially after all the work that my team-mates have done for me. Alas, it was bad at the finish as it sometimes happens. When Steven De Jongh had finished his lead-out I saw McEwen start his sprint. I also wanted to hit out but I bumped into a Gerolsteiner rider – I think it was Wrolich – and that slowed me down a little. By the time I could wind it up again, it was all too late. _ “Anyway it doesn’t really matter because I get to spend another day in yellow tomorrow and that’s always a good thing. I’m in no hurry because I’ve already achieved one of my objectives. I’m not afraid of the mountains in the second week. I think I can make it all the way to Paris and go for the win again on the Champs-Elysees.”