Sylvain Chavanel – “I have a habit of doing this...”

“Me? Caught in the last kilometer? Yeah, I have a habit of doing this! I’m joking, I don’t want to keep doing this! Of course, it’s always disappointing to come so close, especially as the efforts made today will leave a mark. Initially, it was not the intention to go on the attack but when I saw Wegmann, Voigt and a few others go, I said that we should be in the move. Then I insisted, and I had the opportunity to go with Thomas Voeckler. Once it was established, we tried. _ “In the last 10 kilometers I still thought we had a one minute advantage but the headwind in the three or four final kilometers proved to be the fatal blow. It’s a shame because otherwise I believe would could have pulled it off. _ “I will try again on another stage, that’s for sure. But right now I have to recover, primarily because I want to do a good time trial in Cholet as I did in Albi last year. I have the title of champion of France to honor.”