"Going into Montmartre, I didn’t want to take any chances so I just accepted where I was in the bunch, which was a bit too far back to do something. At first, I was thinking we might make it back, and then the second time there will be less fighting. Then we passed the finish line and we were already 50 seconds behind. I realised I was not going to fight for anything.
To be honest, there’s a bit more disappointment [with this place of 2nd, compared to the previous]. I came here to win the Tour de France, which I think was in some kind of way realistic. But with my two bad days, I lost a lot of time. Out of my five Tour de France podiums, this is the one I’m least happy with if I can say.
First, I will take some rest and then I’ll go somewhere nice in France or Spain to ride in the mountains and prepare for La Vuelta."
