“I’m proud of myself and proud my team. It’s special to win here. I’m 36 years old, turning 37 this year, I’m not getting any younger. I’m 36, turning 37 this year. To win a Tour de France stage was my ultimate goal and I could see the window closing on to me. That was the goal. I wish I could say this victory today was planned but how the cards played, I was the most marked man. I had to be patient and not thinking about the win when I was racing behind Jorgenson. I wasn’t thinking of catching him but only to give the best of myself. It’s very similar to the win I got at La Vuelta in 2018: very fast start, lots of team attacking before the final steep climb and I made it at the end despite the suffering. It’s a dream come true. The great people I have around, starting with my wife and kids, made it possible.”
