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2009 Tour de France: Stage 7 Quotes and Stage 8 Preview

July 10th, 2009 by Ron Callahan One Comment

From Missing Saddle: The Pyrenees continue through the weekend, with 176 kilometers and three climbs on tap for stage 8 on Saturday. The course profile won’t allow a rider to make a Tour-winning move, but a bad day for a contender could prove damaging to GC hopes. The road kicks up as soon as the flag drops, on the Port d’Envalira, a category 1 climb that spans 23 K at an average grade of about 5%. After a long descent, the category 2 Col de Port (11 K, 5.5%) comes about halfway through the stage. Finally, the Col d’Agnes is a category 1 that averages 6% over 11 kilometers. The main bunch of contenders should stay together to at least this point. Because of the long descent to the finish in Saint-Girons, a race-altering move is not likely to be made.

Stage 7 Quotes:

Brice Feillu is hoping that his performance today will catch the attention of some team managers, as he is likely going to be looking for a new team at the end of the season.
Alberto Contador: “This was not an attack against Lance. I had good legs and wanted (to put some distance between myself and ) pursuers such as Cadel Evans and Carlos Sastre.”
Lance Armstrong, on Contador’s attack: “Our plan was arranged differently. But I have not expected that he keeps to the plan. Therefore, It was no surprise that he (went) away.” “Things didn’t go according to the plan we’d set out earlier, but it didn’t matter. It was a fine day overall.”
Johan Bruyneel: “We didn’t have a specific plan to attack, our plan was to maintain our collective strength first and wait for attacks from the others,” said Bruyneel. “Alberto counter-attacked after an attack, our plan had been for the riders to communicate and respond. I had no race radio at that time or TV, so it was something they decided themselves.”
Christian Prudhomme: “I’ve got tears in my eyes, and that doesn’t happen to me often,” as he congratulated Feillu.
Christian Vande Velde, on today’s stage: “I’m really happy, I felt really good. I definitely had to dig deep in the end, and there was quite a headwind. I think tomorrow is going to be hard again, so now it’s a matter of recovering. I can’t complain about my placing on the overall. I’m in the top ten, so that’s all good.”