Delighted with the victory of his teammate Mark Cavendish who dispossessed him of the green jersey this Tuesday in Fougères (Ille-et-Vilaine), Julian Alaphilippe spun off to reconnoitre the course of the time trial the next day, between Changé and Laval ( Mayenne) where he expects to suffer.
How do you feel after the victory of your teammate Mark Cavendish?
JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE.
It is a great moment of emotion.
We couldn't ask for more.
It was the objective today to place Mark in the best conditions for this finish which he knew very well.
This is his 31st stage victory on the Tour.
I really felt it moved.
Can he beat Eddy Merckx's record for 34 stage wins?
We do not know.
This is only the fourth stage of the Tour.
If there are other sprints, and if we are successful like today
(Editor's note: Tuesday)
, why not?
But you have to savor every moment.
Since the start, Saturday, it's been really good.
How do you see the 27.2 kilometer time trial this Wednesday between Changé and Laval?
Above all, there will be a lot of pain.
It will hurt, it's a difficult time.
I will be keen to do it all so as not to have any regrets.
I am second in the general classification
(8 seconds behind
Mathieu van der Poel
)
.
The goal is to give the maximum.
To read also "This Julian is able to find the yellow one", estimates Laurent Jalabert
What do you think of the symbolic gesture of the peloton which dismounted at the start to protest against the International Federation?
I do not know. I was not aware
(the peloton dismounted to protest against the refusal of the UCI to extend the distance of three kilometers before the finish line where the times are neutralized in the event of a crash)
. I got off the podium before the start, there were riders who wanted to stop, others not. I spoke with Mathieu van der Poel, he did not want to dismount. André Greipel
(Israel Start-Up Nation)
came to see me telling me that I had to stop. I'm not very political, I wanted everyone to be happy, that's all.
