Quotes
Stage 21
1| Tadej POGACAR
Tadej Pogacar: "You might think this is a fairytale - it’s incredible for me too"
“It was an amazing day. I’m speechless. It’s an incredible day, there was an incredible atmosphere. I’m happy that the race is over and that we won it for the 5th time. Every victory is really special. I’ve ridden 7 Tours already, and I’ve always finished on the podium. You might think this is a fairytale - it’s incredible for me too.
I don’t know how I do it. There are many factors involved. The most important one is enjoying what you do and being surrounded by people who are there for you, also in the lowest times,...
Stage 21
101| Mathieu VAN DER POEL
Van der Poel: "The way it went is a dream"
"I was already thinking about winning here when I was sick last year and had to watch this stage on television. The way it went is a dream.
It was super hard to be up there with the best rider in the world. All my respect for Tadej [Pogacar]. I thought we were gonna get caught. Then I thought about this moment, I put my head down in the last 500 metres. I went as hard as I could. I was just waiting until a wheel would come and pass, but it didn’t happen. In the end, I see a Pirelli tyre next to me and it’s Jasper’s. It shows we never gave up. Maybe...
Stage 20
33| Mads PEDERSEN
Mads Pedersen: "One of my career goals is now accomplished"
"It’s nice! What a week, and what a Tour this has been. And one of my career goals is now accomplished. It’s absolutely incredible to close the book today and basically just have to finish tomorrow.
I didn’t want to overdo it at the bottom [of the climb to Col de la Croix de Fer] so I went with my own pace and then at one point they slowed down a bit in the peloton. I knew it would flatten a bit the last 5 kilometres so I had to take the chance and then do a good downhill. It paid off. It was absolutely incredible.
Now I don’t have to...
Stage 20
2| Isaac DEL TORO ROMERO
Isaac del Toro: "I can’t feel more privileged than I feel today"
"I have no words. It’s just incredible as an experience. Pressure is a privilege and today I really felt it. This is my first third week in a Tour de France, and it hasn’t been easy. I came into it in a very good situation, but it is not a secret I was struggling. There was sickness in the team. I tried to prevent people from noticing I was weaker, saying I was okay - but it wasn’t true. These last three days have been very painful in a different kind of way to what’s usual. My teammates took care of me. I don’t know why they supported me this...
Stage 20
17| Sepp KUSS
Sepp Kuss: "We can be proud of our efforts."
Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) was named the most combative rider of Stage 20. A crash 5.8 kilometers from the finish hampered his bid for victory.
"I was so on the limit, I misjudged the corner a bit. First in the tunnel, and then after that I was still trying to make up too much time and I misjudged the corner. It was a bit scary, sorry to my wife and my family watching at home! That's racing. I’m happy with the fight and the performance, and it was a big day out."
“That’s how it goes, you can't always have good luck, of have everything...
Stage 20
1| Tadej POGACAR
Tadej Pogacar: "It’s been an honor to ride for Isaac today"
“People will now talk about how I helped Isaac [del Toro] to secure his podium spot, but first it was him who helped me get this Yellow Jersey. The whole team has backed me all Tour long. Nils [Politt] and Florian [Vermeersch] have always been there on the flat. Tim [Wellens] and Felix [Grossschartner] have been our road captains, taking decisions everywhere. Brandon [McNulty] has been helping since the very beginning - we shouldn’t forget him even though he is not here anymore. It’s been an honor to ride for Isaac today, during the last hour and a half...
Stage 20
41| Richard CARAPAZ
Richard Carapaz: "I couldn’t believe what was happening myself"
"There was a moment when I couldn’t believe what was happening myself. At the start of the stage, I was only thinking about the King of the Mountains jersey. Then, once we’d got past the first two mountain passes, that’s when I went for the stage win. It was really, really tough! I was up against two riders who’ve won Grand Tours, Sepp Kuss and Jai Hindley. Sepp, in particular, was a very tough nut to crack. I was pushing myself to the limit the whole time.
On the descent, I don’t know what happened. I just kept going and going, and then...
Stage 19
2| Isaac DEL TORO ROMERO
Isaac del Toro: "It was an incredible experience"
"We did our best with the team. It’s incredible how the guys are still able to manage the situation. Thanks to everybody it was pretty much a good day for everybody and I’m super happy to see Tadej [Pogacar] shining. It was an incredible first experience [at Alpe d’Huez]. It will be a great battle still tomorrow. There are two days left in the Tour, so we’ll see how it ends. Tomorrow, I expect more or less the same as today. Maybe a bit more chaos… The beginning may be a little bit more tricky but in the end it should be similar."
...
Stage 20
33| Mads PEDERSEN
Mads Pedersen: "Proud of the whole team"
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) took 25 points during Stage 19, and has now a 57-point lead over Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) for the green jersey.
"I'm proud of myself and proud of the whole team. We made a plan a bit optimistic, but in the end it worked out and we managed to get another 25 points. We gained back the big loss we had a few days ago and it's really nice."
"It would have been nice not to make the big mistake the other day, but we will try again tomorrow and maybe seal it there. If not, it’s gonna be a good fight in Paris, but it’s...
Stage 19
1| Tadej POGACAR
Tadej Pogacar: "It was crazy"
"It’s very cool to win up here. It was a crazy atmosphere on the whole climb. It’s thanks to all the team that I could pull it off. I was riding for my teammates today. I’m super happy to take the win.
When I heard some of the guys dropped when Felix [Grossschartner] was setting a really good pace at the beginning of the climb… I mean, we were already going full gas the climb before, and I knew I had good legs and there were not many guys left to follow, so I tried in the first kilometres up Alpe d’Huez. Then I committed to the top....
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