Tour de France stage 9 reactions: Mark Cavendish, Nairo Quintana, Wilco Kelderman, Sonny Colbrelli
Jul 05 2021 09:02 am CET
Photo by ASO/Alex BROADWAY
The ninth stage of the 2021 Tour de France has been dramatic and challenging for the peloton.
The last day in the Alps wasn't a leisure ride for the peloton: hard climbs, rain, slippery roads and extreme cold made a recipe for a day that many would want to forget. Ben O'Connor (AG2R La Mondiale) celebrated his first stage win in the race, while Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) remains in Yellow.
Here are what some riders had to say at the end of such a difficult day:
Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick-Step, leader of the Points Classification):
"This was one stage I was terrified of. I’m emotional, I got over it. I’m delighted I’m still on the race… But the worse part is there are many days like this to come. As much as I missed the Tour de France, I didn’t think of this mountain stages. In the last couple of years, watching the race on TV, I was a bit jealous that DQS always got someone dropped to take care of their sprinter while, in my last participation, I was left to my own devices. Today, I could count on Tim [Declercq] and [Michael] Morkov to support me. I’m so humbled and physically broken.
Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic, leader of the KOM classification):
"It’s a day of happiness in which we’ve worked for the polka dot jersey. Yesterday was a very difficult day, of a lot suffering, so to be part of the fight again today, with the important selection we got, it wasn’t easy at all. Once the break went, we looked for the goal of the day, which were the KOM points. Further on the day, had I kept some strength, I would have looked for the stage win. It’s been a hard stage today. We spent so much energy from the beginning on, and it has cost me a lot to arrive. The polka dot jersey is the goal we have this year, and we’ll keep looking at achieving it."
Wilco Kelderman (Bora-hansgrohe):
"It was another brutal day. Sometimes, I was so cold in the descents that I couldn't feel my hands anymore. However, my legs were good again, actually, I was really confident before the final climb. In the finale, I struggled a little, maybe because I hadn't eaten enough, but, in these conditions and after these harsh days, it can happen. Overall, I can be happy with this first week, I am still in the mix for a podium spot and I look forward to the second week."
Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious):
"I tried to go in the breakaway for the intermediate sprint. I’m happy I took the points there. I then felt good legs and continued to try and fight for the team classification. There are more opportunities for me, and I will try for the Jersey."
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