Comments on stage 19: Emotional Mohoric: "You know what everyone is going through"

Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious), in an official interview:

"This victory means a lot to me. Because it's very hard to be a professional cyclist. You suffer a lot in preparation, you sacrifice your life, your family, you do everything to be ready here. And after a few days you realise that everyone is so incredibly strong that sometimes it's hard just to stay on the back wheel. At the Col de la Loze I was completely tired and empty. You realise that you still have to make it all the way to the summit and the finish, and then again the next day. You see the staff getting up and racing at 6am and then they finish their work at 11pm or midnight. Because we have to change the tyres or the gear ratios every day. Physio, massage, all that. Sometimes you feel like you don't belong here because everyone is so strong that you have trouble staying on the back wheel. It was difficult today as well. When Kasper (Asgreen; editor's note) attacked. He was so incredibly strong, he attacked yesterday. And today, to have the determination to try again. You think you don't belong here. I followed him and knew that I had to do everything perfectly. I did my best, because I'm not just riding for myself - I'm also riding for Gino (Mäder; editor's note), for the team. In the end, you realise that you're betraying them, because you don't beat them to the finish line. But that's professional sport. Everyone wants to win. If I want to win, I have to get on Kasper's wheel and try to beat him in the sprint in the last 150 metres. There are so many things going through my head right now."

Matej Mohoric: "I have no regrets"

... Matej Mohoric on his determination: "I don't want to have any regrets when I get back to the team bus. I don't have to win, because I'm not as strong as the others. But I can concentrate in the decisive moments and stay cool. When Kasper attacked on the climb, I suffered a lot. But that was the decisive attack. Somehow I found the mental strength to keep going. I tried to stay on until the summit and stay on the bike. I was selfless and tried to keep the group in front. If I hadn't led, we wouldn't have stayed in front. At some point I felt sorry for Ben (O'Connor; editor's note), because he had no chance in the sprint, but he kept going. When Ben took off in the last few hundred metres, that was his only chance. I realised that. And I knew that Kasper would react, because he was by far the strongest. I followed him and he basically pulled the sprint on me, because I'm not fast in the sprint. But after a hard day like this, you never know. I'm happy for myself, for the team, after everything that's happened in the last month."

... Matej Mohoric on the question of whether he believed in his victory: "I wanted to give my best all day and knew that I could win a Tour de France stage, because I've already won two. But so can the other 150 riders. Every single rider would deserve a stage win at this moment. Because I saw their faces two days ago in the gruppetto on the Col de la Loze. You know what everyone is going through. I know how a stage win can change your life. I wish everyone could win a Tour de France stage. But that's not possible. It's cruel."

Nils Politt about chain breakage

Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe), on Eurosport:

"My chain broke. That was pretty shitty. We didn't have a team car behind us and it took quite a while. The Shimano car also realised that I had Shimano pedals. Then I was back in the peloton. I was very motivated and had super good legs. It's just a shame that things like that happen on a day when you want to be in the breakaway."

>> To the race report: How the 19th stage went

>> Results: This is the status of the rankings

Kasper Asgreen (Soudal - Quick Step), on Eurosport:

"That was a tough stage. I didn't have the best legs, I felt pretty empty after yesterday. My plan was to have a relaxed day in the peloton. That wasn't so easy. The group went, but the peloton wasn't happy with it. The pace was very high. At the intermediate sprint, the group came to the front. I was there, just stayed with it and was suddenly at the front. Sometimes things turn out differently. On the last climb we rode away with Ben (O'Connor; editor's note) and Matej (Mohoric; editor's note). It was a good group, we worked together until the finish. That was great."

Ben O'Connor: "Like a one-day race"

Ben O'Connor (AG2R-Citroën Team), on Eurosport:

"I wasn't actually planning to be in the breakaway, I actually wanted to take it easy. But it was like a one-day race. After the intermediate sprint, I rode to the front with the breakaway. I think I had little chance in the final with Kasper (Asgreen; editor's note) and Matej (Mohoric; editor's note). I couldn't do much about it."