I started fast and hard, it was difficult with a hard climb and long downhill with headwind. It was a 100 percent effort all the way but that's OK,
The fact is that cycling in France is in the process of going through one of its toughest periods, ... They haven't won for twenty years now so naturally it's harder for them to accept.
I had a hard time because of the heat. It was a really hard day but I felt strong,
To all the cynics, I'm sorry for you, ... I'm sorry you can't believe in miracles. This is a great sporting event and hard work wins it.
Hard work, sacrifice and focus will never show up in tests.
The answer is hard work. What are you doing on Christmas Eve? Are you riding your bike? January 1st - are you riding your bike?
If you dominate a world sport you will always have questions and doubts. Perhaps at the end of the day we were too successful. When you win the Tour once, twice, seven times, it is just too hard to believe.
It was a hard climb. Maybe I was still a little bit heavy for a climb like that. The difficult days are a month away and we're still on schedule. There's no stress.