One of the race favourites, Christian Vande Velde of the USA, finished nearly 10 minutes adrift of the stage winner after crashing on stage two
One of the race favourites, Christian Vande Velde of the USA, finished nearly 10 minutes adrift of the stage winner after crashing on stage two
Jérôme Pineau – “The misfortune of some makes the happiness of others”
The QuickStep team has plenty to celebrate after stage two: a stage win and yellow jersey but also a perfectly executed plan that put polka-dots on Jérôme Pineau…
“This could not be more beautiful. This morning we had planned, Sylvain and I – each, in turn, would attack. And we managed to find us both in the same breakaway, which is already great. Then, pretty soon, we’ve agreed to help me get some points for the climbing classification and I support him then on the final. But he did not even need me! “It’s magic. A day like this, it happens maybe once in a career. I feel the team we went on the same dynamics as what we had at the Giro d’Italia.
“With regard to the falls that have disrupted the peloton… well, often the misfortune of some makes the happiness of others. This allowed Sylvain to win the stage and take the yellow jersey, but I do not think he will win the Tour de France! Anyway, all the favorites were able to regroup in the peloton and finish together.”
Sylvain Chavanel – “It was my day.”
He has a limited amount of energy but that doesn’t stop Sylvain Chavanel from taking his chances. If at first he doesn’t succeed, he doesn’t care… he’ll just try again. On the road to Spa, he demonstrated the value of perseverance.
“It was a big show today! I said I would start this Tour in a good state of preservation, and that I would not be far from my best form. Finally, I took my chances on this stage and I managed to win. This is the happiest day of my sporting life. When I think about it, I realize that this season started with a plague of problems, and yet I never gave up... finally I do not regret having suffered as much, if only to feel such great emotion now. I savor this moment is what I want: it was my day.
“I made a mark next to this stage in my mind a long time, and I succeeded. This proves that cycling’s wheel does indeed turn!
“Now I have almost three minutes ahead overall! So I think I can go far.”
Tony Martin -
The best young rider after three days of racing in the 2010 Tour, was asked about the ‘protest’ by riders at the end of a dramatic stage: “It’s your job to fight the circumstances, isn’t it?” suggested one journalist: “Yes, but sometimes the circumstances aren’t so good for the riders and it’s too dangerous so we have to decide what we do…”He was near the front of the peloton that arrived en masse, in solidarity, in Spa. Here’s how he saw the crash-scared stage…
“I was happy that I didn’t crash but if I did, I’d be pleased if the bunch waited.
“Tomorrow is another race and if there’s a really big crash we’ll have to decide what to do. I don’t think it will be like it was today; I hope that everything will go well and we’ll have a normal final.
“It was no protest today. It was an act of solidarity because the Schleck brothers needed a lot of time to come back after a big crash – and also some other big favorites – so I think the peloton decided that all riders would finish together. It was our decision to go to the finish together. We knew that Chavanel was three minutes in front, so why would we take the risk for second place? We also had to consider the dangerous descent. The win was going to Chavanel and we decided to take it easy.
“I think we had some bad luck. There was some oil on the corner [on the descent of the Stockeu]… also one motorbike crashed so it was an abnormal race.
“As we rode to the finish I told Cancellara that I’m sorry for him, to lose the yellow jersey because of such a bad situation. It’s a bit of a shame.”