Comments on stage 12: Next Cofidis coup: "Any team would sign up immediately"

Ion Izagirre (Cofidis), in an official interview:

"What can I say? I've spent the whole Tour de France trying to get into a breakaway. Today it worked out. I felt really good, especially on the last climb. I rode up there from the back and then took off. It was a long 20 to 30 kilometres from there. I believed in myself and knew that I was strong. Then I realised that things were really going in my favour. I felt strong - mentally and physically. Both were right."

Simon Geschke (Cofidis), at sportschau.de:

"He (Ion Izagirre; editor's note) is my room-mate and we get on very well. We already knew he was strong, but today's stage was absolutely crazy again. Like two days ago, with crashes, with a leading group. At times I completely lost the overview, then at some point I rode back into the group with the yellow jersey and realised that Ion and Guillaume (Martin; editor's note) weren't even here. That's a good sign, because of course they weren't left behind either. And from then on, you didn't notice much over the radio and I only found out here at the finish."

Geschke on his own form

... Geschke on Cofidis' plan for the stage: "Today was a stage that really suits us with the team we have. Especially for Ion and Guillaume and also for Victor Lafay, who has already won a stage. These were the people we wanted to get into the group. The start was extremely difficult in terms of the profile and the riding style. Then there was a crash on the descent, absolute chaos really. All the better that we were able to come out on top."

... Geschke on his own form and the team's performance so far: "I felt quite good today. I'm lacking a bit of punch to go into the groups myself. I hope that will perhaps improve over the next few days and in the third week. We are super happy. I think Guillaume also made up a bit of time in the overall standings today and two stage wins, any team would sign off on that straight away."

>> Race report: How the 12th stage went

>> Results: the status in the rankings

Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe), at sportschau.de:

"I definitely tried at the start. Unfortunately, after the peloton broke up, we only had Jai (Hindley; editor's note) and me at the front of the first group. So the priority was on Jai for the time being. If something happened, I was still with him. Of course, it was a bit of a shame. The legs were really good today. But of course that's the way it is when you have someone on the podium. That's our biggest goal: to be on the podium in Paris. You have to put your own ambitions on the back burner. The first two mountains were ridden extremely fast. Then it was a technical descent. I think it broke on a counter-climb. I heard something on the radio about a crash. It was extremely hectic in the first few kilometres."

... Politt on the upcoming mountain stages: "I think that Emanuel (Buchmann; editor's note) has proven, the way he came back, that he is in very good shape and can also help Jai very well. And the other guys will also do their best to help Jai on the mountain stages."

Politt talks about transfer rumours

... Politt when asked if he can confirm that he will leave the Bora-Hansgrohe team at the end of the season: "These are rumours." ... "No information, something will be announced in August."

Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies - stage runner-up), on Eurosport: "I'm a bit disappointed, I felt good and tried a few things today. It was very complicated. Cofidis played all their cards - Izagirre was very strong. Of course I'm disappointed to be second again. I tried a lot, but in the end I couldn't do more."

Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny, stage ten), on Eurosport:

"It was incredibly tough today. Two days ago was one of the toughest stages I've ever contested. Everyone agrees with that. I think all the riders would agree that this stage was even harder. It took so long for the breakaway to get away. When it takes that long, it's always a very strong breakaway group. I tried to ride my own pace and hoped that I would get over the crest of the last climb with a group. That wasn't the case. The group in front of me didn't ride for the win either. So I rode a time trial for a top 10 place."