"It was my dream to win a stage of the Tour de France. Yesterday, I rode the course and I thought it was too hard for me but I knew I had to be in the breakaway.
This morning, I had the feeling maybe I can win this. From the beginning, I invested myself 100% to make the break. I know I have a pretty good sprint and we had been out for a long time, sprinting from km 0. I had to be smart because I was on the limit in the finale. We had had to work so hard all day just to get away and then to resist the chasers.
I gave it my all in the sprint, it was so difficult to pass [Mauro Schmid] but I was thinking: I have to win this stage of the Tour de France, I have to win! I believed all day and I actually got the win, that’s incredible.
I broke my collarbone 4 weeks ago. I was crying in the hospital, thinking I wouldn’t ride the Tour de France. But on the day after, I was on the home trainer. I did everything to come back. I came to the Tour with the ambition to help the team as much as possible. And now to be here, as a stage winner, it’s just amazing."
