Jose Azevedo: “We won’t control the race for Purito today”

Team Katusha's directeur sportif Jose Azevedo spoke to letour.com this morning. “Obviously it's a stage that suits Joaquim”, the Portuguese admitted. “Since he won in Mende in 2010, everyone knows that. But in the same time, we're not going to control the race for him today. If there's a breakaway, he won't go in it but if we're all together at the bottom of the climb and he has an opportunity, he will take it for sure. We're not going to control the race for Joaquim because our main objective now is next week. And also we have a stage for sprinters the next day and it's the last chance for Alexander Kristoff to win a stage before the Champs-Elysees. We're hoping for a third stage win for Purito but more in the Alps than in Mende actually. As for the polka dot jersey, it will be complicated because of the double points system at mountain top finishes.”