Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), stage winner
"It was a heavy finish. It was maybe the easiest stage I did in a cycling race because there was no breakaway and not a high pace at all, but everyone was fresh and the last hour was really hectic.
"There was a lot of wind, so all the sprinters and GC teams wanted to be at the front. Then the last kilometre was slightly uphill, so I knew this was a stage that suited me. I'm just so happy that I got an opportunity from the team to go for it. If you have one shot and you can finish it off, then it's even more sweet.
"I think it was important to keep position, it was a hard uphill, and I managed to be behind Sunweb who had a good lead-out, and I launched my sprint from the moment I saw Bol going in front of me. I was quite tight, but I was also on the outside, so I think it was maybe just half a wheel or something, but it was enough (Eurosport)
Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), GC leader after stage 5
"I don’t think any rider would want to take the jersey [maillot jaune] like this. I only just find out now that Julian had taken a late feed, but I don’t think, like I said, that anybody wants to take the jersey like this. I wanted to try something tomorrow, but I guess we’ll wear the [yellow] jersey tomorrow now, but I’ll continue as normal and try and win stages.
"I just asked him [Julian Alaphilippe] what happened because I only found out two minutes ago what happened. He just told me he took a feed or a bottle in the last 20 kilometres. Like I said before, this is not the way you want to take the jersey. We’ll just have to wear the jersey tomorrow and take it stage by stage.
"I was already on bus for a long time, I’d already had a shower and was ready to go home. But the director came up to me and told me I had to come up here [awards].
"I think it will be a big battle [stage 6]. Was gonna try something tomorrow anyway. I’m here for stages more than GC, so will continue like that. (France Télévisions)
Cees Bol (Team Sunweb), second on stage 5
"From 5km to go I think we took the front and all the guys were super strong. It was amazing to see and feel the confidence we have through the team. I think everybody did an amazing pull. Myself, I also did a good sprint in the end. I think we didn't make any mistakes but unfortunately in cycling you don't always get what you deserve because there was one guy faster in the end.
"I think the sprints are so fast that – actually today was maybe one time we could really make a train – you have such a big benefit from sitting in the wheel that it's almost impossible to make a train from the front. Like I said, today was a bit more difficult, so if you went hard on the front then you're also struggling sitting in the wheel.
"[Van Aert] had the good wheel. He used our train I think and in the end in the last 200m he was a bit faster. Sometimes it's like that in this sport. I think if you look at his palmarès – especially in the last month – it's not a shame. Of course, it's disappointing but if we keep riding like this I have confidence that we'll get it." (Team Sunweb)
“Apparently I took a feed in a non-authorised zone. That’s a 20-second penalty, so it’s Yates in the yellow jersey, normally, I don’t know. I’m waiting for the confirmation, for it to be official. If that’s the case, that’s how it goes. It’s the decision of the jury so I can’t do anything about it.
"It was a very long and very boring stage, with a very nervous finale. I had to stay concentrated to defend the jersey and try and win the stage with Sam [Bennett], who’s in green, which is good news. But voilà, if that’s how it is then no worries, tomorrow I’ll pick myself back up and we won’t talk about it anymore." (France Télévisions)
Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep) - third on stage and green jersey
“I never had such an experience after a finish. I’m delighted to be in green, but I’m also disappointed that I didn’t win. I think I got so caught up in trying to get green that I almost forgot to just go for the win. I was so focused on being there that I was trying to get the green, of course also trying to win, but it’s like I forgot my killer instincts.
“It’s a special moment in my career to hold the green jersey for at least a day. To follow in their [Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche] footsteps is something quite amazing. I’m really proud to do it and proud to be here in the national championships jersey and represent Ireland.
“I’ll enjoy this moment, having the green and the yellow jersey in the team, is special.” (Flobikes)
Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), fifth on stage 5
"It was an easy day, so we knew it was going to be a crazy final. I think we were really good but then with 2km to go we had a kick and then Mads had to spend a lot of energy after a bike change with 10km to go, so I lost him.
"Then I had to gamble a bit and that ended up a bit too far in the corner which is a pity because I like this finish and it was a pity to see the teamwork a little bit mixed up or go wrong because of the energy Mads spent to come back. I was fifth today and it could've been better, but we tried.
"Today was a good day. I felt quite good in the final. I think everyone is quite surprised by how tired the peloton is after only four days. Normally people get tired when we're closer to the first rest day but this year it seems to be a little bit earlier than normal." (Trek-Segafredo)
Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott), sixth on stage 5
"We knew it was going to be hard and more technical. In the end, we liked that. The boys did a great job. The last 3 kilometres I wasn't efficient enough – I had to brake too many times, lost the position, made up again. Just those unnecessary losses of speed.
"Then with 1 kilometre to go I knew I had to make a big effort to come back when I saw Daryl [Impey] and Jack [Haig] on the front. I knew it was crucial to be in position with 1k to go and I did that but actually cut my legs off.
"But anyway, it was good to be up there and with a little bit of a smoother ride from my side I can do more.
"[The stage] was so easy. Before this year I did my first Tour, so this year I was thinking that every day it would be full gas and there are no easy days on the Tour. But now I can say it's not like that. It was actually active recovery for four hours and then an explosive finish." (Mitchelton-Scott)
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - white jersey
“It was pretty easy for more than half the stage, but in the end it was pretty crazy and quite stressful. The team did a really good job staying around me and keeping me safe, so from my side, today was a good day.
"I don’t think that I can attack for the yellow [jersey] tomorrow, maybe yes, but I will see how the final climb goes and try to do my best.” (Flobikes)
Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal), eighth on stage 5
"It was pretty simple. We were just too far back. You can only sprint when you're in a position to sprint and I wasn't in a position to sprint today. We were too far back coming to the 1 kilometre to go. We tried to move up but obviously it costs energy to move up then. So, we moved up and still didn't move up to a position where we were able to sprint. We'll try again in a few days.
"We knew I was going to be super fast with that downhill with 700 metres to go. It was one of those days where position was everything because if you're even one or two wheels too far back you can't make up so many places in the last part because we're all sprinting as fast as you can do. We stuffed it up today, but we'll try again in a few days." (Lotto Soudal)
