Egoi Martinez – “This jersey is important for the team...”

“For me it’s very special to have a jersey like this. To lead a classification of the Tour de France is important and to achieve this makes me very happy. I was second in the mountains prize after the stage yesterday so for the focus today was do what I could to gain a few more points. Everything went well and now we’ve got something to celebrate.
“I’m going to try very and keep the polka-dot jersey. It’s going to be hard to hold it all the way to Paris but I’ll have from now until the Alps. That’s a real possibility because there aren’t very many big climbs in the next few stages.
“It was three days of hard work to get the lead, now it’s my hope that I can hold onto it even though it wasn’t my original ambition to get this jersey. At the beginning of the Tour the goal was a stage win but after the escape on the way to Arcalis I was in a good position. This jersey is important for the team so I’m pleased with the change of plans.”