Fränk Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) was in a prime position on stage 14 of the Tour de France to witness first hand the damage created by tacks on the road. A number of riders, including defending champion Cadel Evans and several of Schleck’s teammates suffered punctures on the top of the Mur de Péguère.
It turned a mundane stage as far as the race’s GC was concerned into a full tilt chase between BMC and the front of the race.
Coming the top of the climb and with Evans still waiting for a new wheel Pierre Rolland (Europcar) attacked. The Frenchman later denied any knowledge of the punctures behind but his acceleration had prompted Liquigas and Lotto to chase in a bid to defend their GC aspirations.
In this exclusive video for Cyclingnews Schleck recounts the attack from the Europcar rider and his praise for Sky and Bradley Wiggins who organised the peloton’s wait for Evans before reeling in Rolland.
With speculation that RadioShack-Nissan could fold at the end of the year under financial pressure and that Jackob Fuglsang is suing the parent company for unpaid wages, Schleck, who sits 12th in this year’s Tour was also asked if the rumours were true and if he himself had been paid his salary. Watch the video here.