Tinkoff-Saxo’s Peter Sagan took his 4th green jersey in a row, as he crossed the final finish line of Tour de France on the iconic Champs Élysées. Meanwhile, Alberto Contador concluded his Tour finishing 5th in the overall classification.
Peter Sagan didn’t get the stage win that he had been on the lookout for, but underlines after pulling on the green jersey that he is pleased with his Tour de France.
“I am very happy because this year was a very hard fight from the first stages. My role in the team was different from previous years. I’m very happy that I haven’t crashed and that I can make it here in the green jersey – it’s a special feeling for me. It has been a different Tour for me but also a very big experience to ride with Alberto Contador, he is a big champion and I’ve also had a lot of fun in this year’s Tour on the road and together with my teammates”, comments Peter Sagan before adding:
“For sure it was a very big fight from the start and I knew that it wasn’t easy. There was less pressure on me to create individual results but I also had a different role. But the pressure overall has been high, we have been very concentrated but it has been a big experience for me. I’ve tried to win stages, but it was not easy. I think I can be satisfied, I have been very aggressive and I have the green jersey”.
Greipel win on Champs Elysee
Tour de France was concluded with the traditional sprint burst up Champs Élysées, where Peter Sagan took 7th place. After 21 stages, Tinkoff-Saxo Head Sports Director Steven de Jongh sums up the squad’s Tour.
“We came here for the win in the general classification but we saw a very strong Froome and Alberto was not on top of it from the first mountain stage, where he lost time. Then again, on the first stage in the Alps he had a crash and that cost a lot of energy, which also ended his chances in terms of the podium. From a team standpoint everybody did exactly what we asked and gave their best each day. I think Alberto managed the Tour well after a very hard Giro that left everybody including him really tired. I don’t think that many riders would have been able to do what he did – to win the Vuelta and then the Giro before finishing 5th in the Tour. Looking ahead, Rafal is getting better and better and he has been an important support in the high mountains. He will now take time off and prepare for the Vuelta”, comments Steven de Jongh and continues:
“I have to stress the fact that the entire team suffered a big loss, when Basso had to abandon. It was naturally a big relief to all of us, when we got the message that he had been successfully operated and didn’t need any further treatment. It was just as well a pity that we lost Bennati and Valgren but fortunately Bennati had been there in the first part of the Tour, where his help was crucial. Valgren fought hard and did a lot of work for the team but he will definitely get many more chances at Tour de France”, adds Steven de Jongh.
