Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) – stage winner
“This is the happiest day of my career. We got the victory we deserved. Now I will enjoy what is the most important thing I’ve ever done on the bike.”
Rüdiger Selig (Bora-hansgrohe)
“I had goose bumps on the last final kilometers. I really wanted to get on the podium today so I fought very hard. In the end, Gaviria was too fast but I am more than happy with my second place.”
Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo)
“I was in the front group with Quick-Step, and of course they did great teamwork,” said Nizzolo. “They did their best to win, and I tried to do the best I could do against them. Of course, with the condition I have, I paid for the full gas effort for the last 10 kilometers.”
“Tactically, I think I was perfect, and the legs were just missing that little bit again so I couldn’t ask more today,” added Nizzolo. “I am not frustrated. As I said, this was probably the best result I could have. I work every day to do my best and today the best was the third place.”
Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal)
“The stage started well for us. The early break consisted of only four riders and after a while only three riders were left in front. We took control of the race with our team and didn’t give the break much advantage. We did the work all on our own.”
“We knew that with twelve kilometres to go, there was a danger of echelons being created because we got in an open field with crosswinds. I was riding in the first echelon when I could just dodge the rider in front of me and at that moment my foot came loose from the pedal. That’s how I got dropped from the first echelon. That is such a pity and I am disappointed. It was the perfect situation for me. Because Quick-Step Floors had so many riders in that group I could have kept calm in the back. A second stage win wouldn’t have been easy, considering the riders in that group, but I could have maintained the pink jersey. But as a sportsman you have to be able to accept these things. I definitely enjoyed wearing the maglia rosa and the atmosphere on Sardinia. Only the end could have been better.”
Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
“That final was really nervous. There were a few cross-winds in the last 15km. I was well positioned until a roundabout – you get knocked and the next thing you know you lose 20 positions. I was just too far back. I tried to make a big effort to get across and almost made it. I didn’t quite get there but it could have been a lot worse, with only Bob Jungels up there on GC.
“It was only 10 seconds in the end, and come the mountains 10 seconds is nothing. But it would still be good just for the morale to have been there. I certainly had the legs to be there. It was just a bit of a mishap going into the roundabout. But that’s racing – especially in the cross-winds. There are a lot of nerves and everyone is still quite fresh.”
Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)
“It was stressful with 50kms to go already,” said Mollema. “Everyone knew that with 13kms to go it turned left and it was full crosswind and everyone wanted to be in front. We were where we needed to be, especially Jasper and Mads (Pedersen) who did a really good job, and Laurent (Didier) and Eugenio (Alafaci) too, to bring me in good position to this point. Then after one-two kilometers Quick-Step suddenly attacked and Giacomo reacted really well and it was perfect for us. He did a good sprint, and behind we were in the front so I was never in any big problems.”
Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)
“As expected today was a huge battle, there was so much wind to contend with which made things really difficult. Throughout the whole stage we were sharp and in the front but on that moment with 10 kilometres to go we were just little bit too far back, together with the other GC riders. The team were really good today and we have got through the first stages well together.”
