Christophe Moreau moves on

Christophe Moreau, who's chances for overall victory were already reduced following a crash and subsequently losing time in one of the flattest stages of the Tour, is now fully out of contention, after having a bad time trial on Saturday and arriving at the finish with the gruppettoyesterday. Talking to velo101.com the Frenchman showed however, that he has moved n already and remembers when things were even worse.

"In 2002, I crashed three or four times in the opening week. This time I didn't and made it ok through the Alps as well. It was the crash that diminished me. A little grain of sand in the machinery."

Moreau continued that his handicap was more physical than mental, with his bruised ribs causing some breathing trouble and his team gave him a lot of strength, "they were always around me." The Ag2r captain didn't like being in the gruppetto, "it's not something to be proud of, but I didn't have a choice," conceded Moreau, who received treatment from an osteopath.

The Frenchman, who's overall ambitions have vanished over the weekend, is now thinking of getting into a break in the upcoming two mountain stages. He thinks that the overall will be made tonight.

Moreau is enjoying his time in the French Champion jersey, a title he finally won this year after trying his whole amateur and professional career. "The people seek me out, even in the gruppetto."

Moreau, who had praise for his team-mate John Gadret, never thought about abandoning over the course of a tough weekend. "I haven't hit rock bottom yet. I have the will, the maillot tricolore and the support of my wife Emilie. I have seen that I can stay with the gruppetto, even though that is not where I'd like to race. I want to get to Paris."