Honestly I'm speechless. I don't know what to say. Not a chance in hell I thought I was going to win today. I just followed Dumoulin, Bardet and Froome were attacking - obviously a bit of bad luck for Nibali, I rode over his back wheel. I nearly came down myself. I don't know what to say.
This is just unbelievable, can we just go to Paris now? I said yesterday this race is made for me now, today I can be happy for sure now.
[How long to keep the jersey?] Maybe the next few days I can keep the jersey but this race is so hard. You never know how your body reacts. Like I said, I'm still riding for Froome, he is still the man, he knows how to ride for three weeks. Legend is a word that gets used a lot but he's the man. He's probably the best ever.
I'm just going to enjoy it. Alpe d'Huez man, speechless. (Eurosport)
There were two police motorbikes but there weren't any barriers at that point. When Froome attacked, I went after him and felt good. Then we were slowed up and I went down. I don't know what happened.
[How did you manage to chase?] I managed to get up and chase because I felt good, my form is good. I'd attacked to test the others. I also wanted to attack again.
[Do you think you'll be given back the time lost, like Froome on Mount Ventoux?] I don't know because then Froome was in yellow. These things happen because there's a lot of people and the road narrows. (RAI)
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We went in the break early on and made it. It was a strong break and I asked what Steve [Kruijswijk] what he wanted to help him. He attacked quite early by himself and he looked super strong. He got pretty far but Sky being the strong collective took a lot out of him and it's a pity for us.
We Dutch have a lot of good riders now. I can say respect for my roomie, he's very relaxed in this Tour, he will see what he can do in the days to come. I'm very proud of what he did. (Eurosport)
Julien Jurdie (AG2R La Mondiale directeur sportif)
A big and early stage with lots of climbs. A lot of pace put on from the beginning and a lot of people struggling from the beginning, which you can see with sprinters in the race. Romain [Bardet] did well on Alpe d'Huez, he did well to pull away from Froome and Thomas but didn't have enough to pull away. He didn't quite have enough in the end but it was a great effort.
Team Sky were very good but there's a lot of people putting the pressure on. Nibali and Landa are putting on the pressure and it makes for an interesting race, it's hard to get past Sky with Bernal driving the pace and it is hard to get gaps at the moment.
It was pretty special, Kruijswijk did an incredible job to get out there and it was bad luck not to hold on in the end. It was a legendary stage. (Eurosport)
[Was it the plan for Froome to win?] I think it was the plan, Froome felt good in the past days and before the stage he wanted to attack and we did a good effort in last climb.
It was good a good experience for me. It is amazing to work for Froome and Geraint. I need to learn a lot, I am only 21 and in the best team in the world but I like to work for them and I'm proud of myself.
I was at the limit when they attacked but you need to control yourself. In the radio Nico said to keep the gap and control yourself because then Froome will attack. (Eurosport)
Nico Portal (Team Sky directeur sportif)
I think it was racing, it was a pretty hard day. We had about six minutes with Kruijswijk and we planned to attack with Froome and Geraint was to follow. If people came back then Geraint could go but I think for Geraint to finish it of on Alpe d'Huez is incredible. He won his first mountain stage yesterday of his career on the Tour but winning on Alpe in the yellow jersey, dropping Quintana, Nibali is a big achievement for him. Beating those guys is incredible.
[On Bernal] He's 21-years-old, riding his first Grand Tour, Alpe d'Huez after 4,000 metres of climbing, riding like this and dropping his compatriot. He has a nice future ahead of him but he was unbelievable how he did it. Today was huge. (Eurosport)
