Sylvain Chavanel – “I decided to concentrate on the polka-dot jersey...”

“The initial aim was to escape in the hope of fetching a stage victory. Then, en route, we quickly realized that the peloton would not let us get away with more than five minutes. At the start of the stage I was a two minutes from the overall lead and I could have been a threat for the general classification. I am beginning to be known in the peloton, they know what my skills are. So, of course, I didn’t have a lot of scope. _ “This prompted a change in strategy and I decided to concentrate on the polka-dot jersey, which is another objective on this Tour. It was the only thing to do. I could lead over the first three summits, which allowed me to take the lead but it remains a decisive stage. Yet to come are the major cols of the Tour; that’s where you win the climbing classification and that’s where I will have to defend.”