“It’s a surprise” for Christophe Laporte, winner of the 3rd stage of the Dauphiné

“Did you imagine win this tuesdayafter a mive sprint?
No, it was a bit of a surprise. I like mive sprints but not big ones like that. The scenario smiled on me let’s say, because I don’t think I was the fastest, but it’s still a sprint. Sunday, I was very happy to win because there was a little more pressure, on a stage that suited me well and that we had ticked off with the team. There, it’s a surprise and it’s almost even more fun. I had the legs and the scenario was favorable to me. It’s the first bunch sprint I’ve won at the World Tour level, it gives me confidence.

Can it make you want to play your card in this style of arrival at the next Tour de France?
When it’s hilly, there’s also Wout (Van Aert, his teammate) as a favorite and I will do my work for him with pleasure. On the bunch sprints, we haven’t discussed it, I don’t know what Wout has in mind and that will change the situation. But the priority is really not there, only the Yellow Jersey and therefore protecting Jonas (Vingegaard). The green jersey? I don’t know, we’ll see, we’re only in Dauphiné, we haven’t discussed this possibility.

“I have a Yellow Jersey to respect, I will give the maximum (tomorrow during the time trial)”

It is the third French victory on the first three stages, which has not happened since 1958 in Dauphiné. How does that feel to you?
It’s not anecdotal, it pleases everyone I think, and especially the French of course. We see that French cycling is doing well, but even without that, we knew it.

Do you think you can keep your yellow jersey during the individual time trial this Wednesday?
I haven’t really worked on the timer lately to be honest, a bit before Paris-Nice which I ended up not taking part in. I like fairly short lap times, around fifteen kilometres, but beyond that it’s a bit complicated for me. I also have a Yellow Jersey to respect, I will give the maximum, but if I am really too far at a time, I will not kill myself either. »