Ben O’Connor: “I absolutely loved every moment”
“I felt a bit in my own world today. When the first group broke away, I was a little disappointed not to be there because it was a pretty good opportunity. But when the race picked up again, I went for it. I felt that today was a day full of great opportunities, and I had a feeling from the start that I could win the stage. It was special to dominate like that, and I absolutely loved every moment. Before this race, I was looking at the list of triple Grand Tour stage winners, and I’m proud to add my name to that list. Wearing the red jersey is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m going to enjoy every moment.”
Stéphane Goubert: “It was a great stage and an excellent team effort”
“It was a great stage and an excellent team effort, the collective performance was up to the mark, and Ben (O’Connor) was above all that. Today, he was untouchable, it was truly the best of Ben. He managed to join the breakaway at a moment when the peloton needed to rest, which allowed them to gain a lead. The cooperation in the breakaway wasn’t optimal, Ben then decided to accelerate and went off on his own, pedaling hard after wearing down his opponents one by one. He joins the very exclusive group of stage winners across all three Grand Tours, in addition to that, he takes the leader’s jersey, which is a reward for the entire team. Now, it’s up to us to do everything we can to defend it.”
