Reaction to Stage 15 | Cyclingnews

Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) (Image credit: Sirotti)

Lance Armstrong (Astana) - Ninth on stage, second overall @ 1:37 “Saxo set the tempo from the bottom. They were going all out. I think we were all on the ropes. A few attacks here and there and I tried to go with a couple. When Alberto went he showed he’s the best rider in the race, certainly the best climber. You know, when everyone’s on the limit and you can accelerate again and I’ve been there, that’s how you win the Tour. Hats off to him. Also hats off to the Schleck Brothers, they rode good too."

Chris Anker Sørensen (Team Saxo Bank) - 37th on stage, 31st overall @ 12:06 "It was a tough day where we did everything we could to dominate the race and we can see that the pressure on the competitors at the beginning of the climb made its clear mark on the events in which the front group was reduced to a handful of riders. It was fantastic to see so many Danes on the mountain side who were out to support us."

José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d’Epargne) - 101st on stage, 63rd overall @ 41:45 “I decided beforehand that I had to try and go with a break. Our team has been rather discreet during the last week and it was necessary to try to achieve something. It did not request a big effort from me because I felt very well and I like that kind of start for a stage: with hills which request force and power. Unfortunately Tony Martin and Mikel Astarloza made part of the break and as a consequence the bunch did never the gap increase too much. We were caught at the beginning of the last climb. You feel of course tired after such an effort and I will welcome the rest day like everybody else. I will try again next week because I really would like to win a stage in this Tour. I am feeling well, I am also recovering very well and generally in a three weeks stage race I use to feel each day better. There six stages left and I will try to take advantage of every opportunity.”

Simon Spilak (Lampre) - 70th on stage, 120th overall @ 1:35:29 “I’m happy for my performance and for the award: it’s funny thinking that in Colmar I had such a bad day and I was the last at the arrival! – It was in the program of the day to enter in the breakaway, while my attack at 20 km to the arrival began because I saw that there was no more cooperation among the attackers and that the main bunch was recovering very fast”.

Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel Euskadi) - 21st on stage, 19th overall @ 5:37 "We tried again and finally we were unable to collect any prizes. We're showing how to be very combative and striving to achieve our goals, but on the Tour there are many interests and is difficult to get a victory. I know that for much of the stage I was virtual yellow jersey, but I had more important goals because I knew that it was circumstantial. The point was to contest the stage win or to gain time, but that has not been the case. It was a break with people from many levels and we rode fast until there was some slippage. Tomorrow is the second rest day, we will recover from the past week, as the Alps, the time trial in Annecy and the Mont Ventoux will be very demanding."

Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo TestTeam) - 76th on stage, 77th overall @ 56:31 "It was full-on all day. It wasn't especially easy or hard, it was just a high tempo the whole time. The speed was fast, but it's always like that heading toward a climb. It's always stressed and hectic and everyone fighting for position before the climb, but that's normal. We just tried to keep Carlos out of the wind until we got to the climb. I don't even know what happened after that. I am suffering a little bit from the energy I used the other day when I won the stage. I used a bit of energy in the breakaway. I am looking forward to the rest day."