Nairo Quintana: "With Elie, we tried”
Élie Gesbert and Nairo Quintana tried to get into the moves at the beginning of the stage but the group they belonged to didn’t manage to make the break.
Photo Elen Rius
On the line…
“Elie and I tried to get into the breakaway group at the beginning of the race on this stage from Pas de la Case to Saint Gaudens. Without success. Once the good breakaway was formed, the riders and teams fighting for the overall classification let the time slip away, so that the riders in front could fight for the stage victory, which was more to the advantage of a puncheur than a climber”.
“My job today was to help Nairo so he could get into the breakaway. The fact that so many riders were in the breakaway neutralised the points race for the polka dot jersey, so it was an ‘easier’ day for us. We were able to keep some energy for the next two days, the weather was still very difficult on this stage with a lot of rain”.
The debrief
“Nairo and Elie tried to take the blows that were formed at the beginning of the stage, but the layout of the stage was not necessarily favourable to our two riders. And once this one was over, the peloton let go and the front riders were able to fight for the victory”.