“Yesterday I really thought I needed to take a day off before I’d go in the breakaway again but this morning my legs felt much better. It didn’t take many efforts to get into the breakaway today. Sometimes it takes an hour. Everybody at the front understood that we had a chance to contest the stage victory. I was lucky that Thomas [De Gendt] was with me at the front, so he helped me making the [KOM] points. He deserved the combativity prize so I think I’ll give him my trophy. His attack helped me a lot. I was in the wheels defending his attack so the other riders had to ride flat out. I hope to retain the polka dot jersey for a few more days. I’ll fight for it as long as possible.”
