Connor Swift: "My first leader's jersey”
Connor Swift has taken the white leader’s jersey at the end of the time trial of the Tour du Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle-Aquitaine. He has a ten second lead over Bruno Armirail before the final stage tomorrow in Poitiers
On the line
“I am happy to take the leader’s jersey in the Tour du Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine, because it is the first one of my career. I gave it my all in the time trial, it was hard with the headwind and then the sidewind. I gave it my all. I know that tomorrow will be another great battle with Groupama-FDJ. The stage will be difficult. Warren won the Tour du Limousin last week and that energised the whole Arkéa-Samsic team, it motivated us all. We will do everything we can tomorrow, my team-mates and I, to keep the white leader’s jersey”.
“The objective today was to set a good time, whether it was Connor, Thibault or myself, in order to make a comeback in the general classification of the Tour du Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle-Aquitaine. And especially for Connor to play the white leader jersey. Mission accomplished for him. I am satisfied with my race, I did a great time trial, I gave my best. I’m 6th overall, Thibault is 9th, we’re not too far behind, and now we’re going to concentrate all our forces so that Connor and the Arkéa-Samsic team win the final overall classification of this race”.
The debrief
“Our goal was for Connor to do the best time possible in order to eventually take the white leader’s jersey of this Tour du Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine. It is now a done deal. I would also like to note the great investment of all our riders on this stage, and this is reflected by the places of Connor 9th, Thibault 10th, Anthony 15th and Alan in the top 20. This shows the determination and application of our riders towards this exercise. Now I’ve been saying it since the beginning of the race, the Tour du Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle-Aquitaine finishes tomorrow in Poitiers. It will be a long and hard fought stage, I know that from experience. Tonight we are happy, but we remain measured”.