Competitions

Cervelo TestTeam race quotes: Tour de France Stage 9

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Parent Category: Competitions

Category: Tour de France 2010

Published on Wednesday, 14 July 2010 11:33

Written by Luca Salvatelli

Carlos Sastre (ESP): “Today was a very difficult stage for me and I didn’t know what to expect. I had a good rest day Monday. I tried to do the right things. I trained well, but I didn’t feel good from the start of the stage and I suffered as much as I could. Even though I had faint hopes of staying with the best in this Tour, now I believe it’s frankly quite difficult. I haven’t given up hope or stopped enjoying what the Tour is, but I see that I am in a difficult position.”

On his GC hopes: “Now I will think in another manner. There are still a lot of mountain stages, hard stages and maybe I can have a good moment and I can be ahead. I will try to leave my stamp on this race that for me always has been the most important for me and one that I’ve always tried to enjoy.”

Thor Hushovd (NOR): “It was another hard stage. It was very hot again. I was able to take the points in the first intermediate sprint. Then I was suffering with a small stomach problem, but I feel OK now. I am looking forward to some easier stages after the Alps. The mountain stages are very hard. Maybe there will be a sprint before the Pyrénées, so I hope to be there.”

On calculating time in the ‘gruppetto’ to finish within time cut: “We always count the minutes of the first group and calculate the speed of the peloton to make sure we can make the time limit. We have experience with this and we work together to meet the time limit.”

Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU): “It was very hard today. I was feeling good and tried to stay with Carlos on the Madeleine, but it was a little too fast for me. I found a group of 15-20 riders and finished easy as I could to save my legs for the rest of the Tour. I am feeling OK. The first week of the Tour was hard on me because I had to do a lot work and pull a few days. We’ll see what happens the next few days.”

Jeremy Hunt (GBR): “I am feeling good from my crashes. The rest day was good. I actually rested. We are going to work to keep Carlos out of trouble in these next few stages. There might be a sprint opportunity (Thursday). It’s one of the last days for a sprint. Bordeaux and Paris will be sprints for sure. I am here to help Thor win the green jersey. I will stay with him during these stages. No breakaways for me.”