29 June 2021

Élie Gesbert: "My supporters were at the side of the road”

Nairo Quintana finished 15th at the top of Mûr de Bretagne, the second stage of this 2021 Tour de France that passed through the lands of Élie Gesbert.

ON THE FINISH-LINE

 

I have a good feeling and I had good legs on this stage which offered two climbs from Mûr de Bretagne. I tried, but behind the best puncheurs controlled very quickly. They quickly came back on me. I tried because I saw an opening and I wanted to take advantage of it, but Mathieu controlled it very well. I feel that I am getting better and better”.

“I’m feeling better and better”. “It was a nice second stage in Brittany today in this Tour de France, even if the weather wasn’t really good today. The sky gradually cleared and the peloton was still a bit nervous on this second stage. It started very quickly in Mûr de Bretagne, I hung on from the first passage, but it was a particular climb because we climbed it so fast. But I had the comfort of having my supporters at the side of the road to encourage me“.

I managed to finish this second stage in Mûr de Bretagne and that’s the main thing. I see it as a good sign for the future. It pulls me a bit when I take a speed bump, when I start again. It’s not the most pleasant thing, but I’m just gritting my teeth and that’s it, because we’re in the Tour de France, quite simply“.

Sébastien Hinault, Sport-director

THE DÉBRIEF

 

“The profile and the state of the roads on this second stage of the Tour de France offered less stress than yesterday. It was still nervous because of some showers and some difficult roads, but overall there was less nervousness in the peloton. A breakaway formed and it was quickly controlled. Nairo attacked in Mûr de Bretagne, Warren replaced him at the foot, which is good, and afterwards we saw an extraordinary Van Der Poel. Nairo had good legs, he wanted to try in Mûr and told us so this morning, all this shows that the condition is there and it is rather encouraging”.

 

Riders