I have always said that a Tour victory is more valuable if Lance Armstrong is participating. I will do everything I can to beat him in his last appearance on the Tour.

I’m in pain but I’m confident I’ll feel better tomorrow,

It was a bad day and I knew it from the first climb in Aspin, … I’m going to keep fighting because the Tour is not over.

What he did was sensational.

If it’s true, I would of course be disappointed. Lance is the greatest of our time and maybe somebody’s trying to put him down. I don’t know what it’s about, so all of this is...

There’s no point complaining. I want to put this knee trouble behind me and get on with a structured build-up to the Tour (de France).

I’m feeling better than expected.

It’s a lot more open without Armstrong. I really have to be careful that I have everything in hand. Basso is always getting better, Heras has to bring his Vuelta performance to the Tour, and...

I’m going to try every day to reduce this 55-second split. I could go to my room, get into bed, pull the sheet over my head and cry, but I won’t.

To me there’s no doubt I will be fighting for victory.

I’m not looking at the general classification but I will be keen to test my legs on a few key stages.

I went to hospital for x-rays this morning because I was afraid something was broken but I’m glad it’s not. My legs feel very good and I know I can compete as long as my...

The knee held up well and I felt like I made progress. Just finishing the course was a small victory for me.

In the Tour, it’s important to use every opportunity to distance or eliminate adversaries and if there’s a chance, I won’t hesitate to attack.

I have the motivation, but not the legs. I still have a lot of work to do, but I’m confident in myself.

[T-Mobile’s Jan Ullrich and CSC’s Ivan Basso, two the great contenders for next year’s Tour de France, didn’t mingle with the top ten of the race. Both came in with the peloton nearly one minute...

At the moment I just can’t sit on the saddle.

I have a lot to catch up. I’ve never started the season so late. It was fun to ride after so long. I didn’t go all out on this very technical course.

It’s not really a relief that he quit,

The distribution of power! Jan has the absolute power in the team – like Lance Armstrong…in the years of his Tour victories.

I would prefer not to go and have to do all the preparations for Madrid, … The thing is, if I prepare for the World’s, I prepare for the road race. I have twice been...

I am disappointed today, of course. It was actually going well until the rain. But I have a good team and we are not giving up.

I think I’m ready,

Of course I would have liked to beat him but unfortunately I couldn’t. It’s not really relief because the Tour’s going to change. There won’t be a team like his who will control the race.

It’s a good race to start with as it’s not too demanding. The terrain isn’t too difficult, very good to find the rhythm again.

Today, I had trouble because it was slippery and dangerous,

It is a good Tour to start with as it is not too demanding.

You start to feel that the power missing. The season has been long, and the legs start to get heavy.

I want to wear yellow in Paris in July and I reckon I am on the right track,