Brilliant Alejandro!

Brilliant Alejandro!

One more step on the podium

Alejandro took the 4th place at the top of Chamrousse, where the first stage in the Alps of the 101st edition of the Tour de France finished today. After achieving an excellent race during the entire day and particularly in the final climb, he is now second overall 3’37” behind Vicenzo Nibali who keeps the yellow jersey and wins one more stage.

Alejandro’s quotes:

“It was a really demanding stage and the heat made it even harder. Katusha decided not to let the break go far and the whole stage was super fast. We attacked in the finale and could distance some of our rivals for the overall, but unfortunately, the man in front got a bit further. I had good legs and put my team-mates to pick up the pace from the foot of the climb. I might have been too ambitious with that attack from so far from the finish, but I had to try. The pace was getting slower, there was no real leader taking charge of it and decided to move. I couldn’t let this stage go without trying.

“I’m satisfied, because those good legs lasted until the finished, and even though Nibali proved to be ahead of the rest, we made everything we could and we’re now in second overall, leaving such a dangerous rival as Porte behind, which is important for our ambitions – the GC podium, as I stated from the beginning of the race. We’ll keep fighting and attacking, because anyone can have a bad day. As I said in previous stages, there’s road to gain time and also to lose ground, so we’ll keep re-planning our strategy, day by day. Tomorrow’s stage is going to be super hard: all the climbs, in day fourteen… it will get stiff. I hope to keep these sensations I’ve had up to date.”