"We’ve been very active right from the start because we knew this was a good opportunity to fight for the stage win. On the final climb, we saw that I had barely a minute’s lead over the peloton and realised it was going to be a stage for the general classification contenders. The result is what it is; we’ve tried our best, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved.
For me, today’s stage was a positive one. We fought hard right up to the very end, trying to secure the win… but it was a very tough race. There was a lot of tension right from the start. I’m happy with my performance, because my legs are getting stronger every day and that motivates me.
The crowd were incredible. Especially on the final climb, when you could really feel the energy from the people. The support of the fans is vital for us."
