Peter Sagan congratulates Fernando Gaviria as they cross the line during stage 4 at the Tour de France (Image credit: Getty Images)
Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) - stage winner
It was a very difficult victory. We didn't have any help to control the breakaway today so it was really difficult but we really wanted to win today and the team did an incredible job and we're really happy. I'd like to thank all of my teammates for all of their hard work and we're now looking forward to the next few days.
It's hard to say that you believe that you can do it when you come here but we really trained very hard for this Tour. We've arrived here in very good condition.
We know that Peter [Sagan] is one of the greatest riders in the peloton so I'm very happy to be fighting against him. It's very difficult and we know that we're going to have to work more.
Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) - second place and green jersey
It was a big issue today, and maybe it would have been better if I was on the wheel of Andre, but I still got second and that’s better than third and I’m happy to keep the green jersey.
We didn’t pull today, just a little bit in the final. The breakaway was strong and they did a good job at the front.
[How do you beat Gaviria?] We’ll see, maybe we wait for a mistake. We will see over the next days with the climbs. (Eurosport)
Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors)
Another great victory, I think that we showed really great teamwork out there. We handled the race well, we didn't need any help. We managed to pull it back in that last kilometre. We held it well and I think that we did a really great job. I saw Fernando go 400 metres before the finish, and I knew that he would be up there with the teammates that would set him up for the chance. He took full advantage of it.
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It was a really well set-up sprint. It was great for Fernando to get another victory. (Eurosport)
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) - race leader
It was a very nice day to start with and it was pretty hectic in the finale. The guys did a really good job to protect me and Richie, always in front - they spent a lot of energy in the wind, but you can see that anything can happen. We stayed in the safe zone and protected ourselves really well. It was a good day so far, no time loss, so it was perfect.
(On tomorrow's stage) I think it will be hard - it will be again important to stay in front and stay safe, and then, in the end, I think we can do more for the final. I will try to be up there and hopefully get a good result.
(A win in yellow?) This would be great, I'm enjoying the day so far in yellow, but I came here also for maybe a stage win. I think tomorrow is my first big opportunity and I will try to go for it. (NBC Sports)
Mark Renshaw (Dimension Data)
It probably didn't come across on TV how hard that finish was. We had headwind-crosswind from the right and a slight uphill. It was a little bit steeper than what we thought this morning in the meeting. You can see there in the finish just guys going backwards once they hit the wind. Fernando timed it perfect, so it was a great run by him. (NBC Sports)
Anthony Perez (Cofidis)
It would have been lovely in my first breakaway at the Tour to stay away. There was a headwind through a lot of the stage, which made it really tough out there. We gave it our all and we really tried to help each other but in the end, we ran out of road. We did our best. (Eurosport)
