Juan Miguel Mercado (Agritubel) (Image credit: Sirotti)
"More than I expected"
The only team in the Tour de France with a wildcard, Agritubel, scored a huge win today when Spanish climber Juan Miguel Mercado outsprinted Cyril Dessel (AG2R) in Pau. The two had attacked the leading break with just under 50 km to go, and finished an impressive 7'23 ahead of the peloton. Brecht Decaluwé reports on Mercado's second Tour stage victory.
Q: Today was a great day for you, how do you feel about your victory?
JMM: It's more than I expected. I tried to keep myself in front during the stage's opening hour. It took a while and I had to be patient, but once I was in the breakaway I was in a good position to win the stage.
Q: What happened during the final kilometres? We saw that you came across to Dessel and talked a bit.
JMM: Dessel was pretty sure about the yellow and the polkadot jersey and I risked to end up without nothing. I asked Dessel if I could have the stage, but he refused this. From then on, I stopped doing turns to gain some energy on him, that way I could fulfil my objective: winning the stage.
Q: Now that you won a stage and that you're third overall, does it change your objectives for this Tour de France?
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