"It means a lot. Probably I can't believe it still. It was a big goal of the year. We missed the first chance to put the yellow on. But I think after Julian's phenomenal ride yesterday, it's a moment when you switch on the team. Today we did a perfect job, you saw how the lead-out did. I just need to thank the team; they were really unbelievable. I just had to in my job in the last 180m. It's what I can do better if they launch me like that. I'm pretty happy. I was missing this win; I won in the Giro and the Vuelta and now in the Tour de France, that means a lot to me.
"I'm just really focussed on my lead-out. I lost the wheel of my lead-out on the first stage, and I was really disappointed after that. Today I only looked at Max Richeze's wheel. I know Morkov did an amazing job – he's the best to go at the right time and he was perfect today. I saw Kristoff try to anticipate me on the right, and at that same moment, Max opened the door for me – it was really the perfect teamwork."
"Sven and Jasper [Philipsen] did a really good lead-out. We're actually a really small lead-out, but today they worked very well, both of them, to put me in the right spot. I also didn't use too much energy, so it was all set for me to win, but [Elia] Viviani was just a bit too fast for me at the end. I was there fighting with him side by side, but he had a small extra gear. That was a bit disappointing, but I know usually in a sprint like that, he's the faster man, so to be second I am proud of that, and I hope I can get one stage but today was close.
"It was all about waiting, waiting, and we had to go at the right moment. If I had a little bit extra I would've made it, but unfortunately Viviani was just that little bit stronger out of us two."
"What an experience it was to pack my back with the yellow jersey and ride to the start. It was a wonderful experience riding all day in the jersey.
"Elia was motivated to get a stage win, and I played my role. It was such a perfect day, riding in the maillot jaune, and we get the stage win with Elia. We're really happy for him. We're just riding on a high.
"Tomorrow will be a day when a lot of guys will be trying to get in the breakaway, especially riders who've lost a lot of time in the general classification and are not a threat to the yellow jersey. If that's the situation, we won't chase them. If other teams do, I'll be there to contest for the stage win. I'm keeping my options open."
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Matt White - Mitchelton-Scott director
"I think [Wednesday] is the first sort of semi-difficult stage on the medium mountains. It could go a couple of ways. With Alaphilippe in the yellow jersey, they will really want to keep the jersey and he's probably their best chance, even for the stage win tomorrow. I think if anyone pushes hard on those last couple of climbs I think it will get rid of the pure sprinters, and I'd put Viviani in that category. They've got two options, one is to keep the yellow jersey with Alaphilippe and if it goes really slow, which I don't think it will, then we'll have a reduced bunch sprint but I can't see them all sprinting on the finish line tomorrow.
"It depends what happens in the final tomorrow. We've got a couple of fast guys, and if it's a reduced bunch sprint. If it's a fast sprint then I don't think the guys will be capable of winning the pure bunch sprints, and that wasn't the plan, but I think guys like Daryl Imprey and [Matteo] Trentin, if it's reduced, could have a good chance. But again, it depends how hard those last two climbs are.
"No news is good news [on Adam Yates], we've got through these first days unscathed, and that's always a bonus on the first week of the Tour. It's been a little bit uneventful, but I'll take it. Today could've been a very different day, and I think the reason it changed is because QuickStep had the yellow jersey. If they didn't have the yellow jersey today, they are one of the best teams in the world at crosswinds riding, and they could've put a lot of heat on today that could've even put Alaphilippe in trouble, but they got the best result possible and won the stage. I think them having the yellow jersey certainly influenced the style of racing today."
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