Giro d'Italia 2019: Stage 20 finish line quotes
Quotes from stage winner Bilbao, Carapaz and more
Pello Bilbao (Astana Pro Team) - stage 20 winner
"The first win was really special but today because of the diff of the stage was also more diff to arrive and be here at the finish in first. When Nibali, Landa, Carapaz group arrived I felt that my stage was almost finished but they weren’t with a lot of energy – as tired as me.
"I tried to recover, take the best wheel. I knew that Carapaz was going to try to give the stage win to Landa so I stayed on his wheel and I wanted to have this opportunity in the sprint because I knew I had a small advantage and in the last metres I could beat Landa."
Richard Carapaz (Movistar) - race leader
"We tried to win the stage with Mikel as well as keep the jersey. We missed out by very little, but we are happy with the outcome today.
"I don't think I will lose that much (in the time trial), but anything can happen in the last stage. I think it's OK for now."
Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana Pro Team)
"It's unfortunate what happened. I had the legs to follow the best climbers.
"It's been a great day for us. We tried a lot. Pello Bilbao also had great legs and he raced very smartly to get the win, and we are happy with that."
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana Pro Team) - manager
"It's a great victory for our team again.
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"After what has happened all Giro with bad luck with Lopez and now on this last climb the crash with the spectator. But sometimes you act like this with emotion and maybe he don’t do it like this but I’m so sorry for this, for cycling it’s not good.
"But maybe it’s a message for the spectator to be more careful in the road. It’s very – I said not good – imagine if you have the pink jersey, it’s more of a big problem. But we won the stage and it’s a great victory.
"It’s not a big crash. He lost time and lost fifth place I think but it’s like this."