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Interviews
Robbie McEwen - "This one is for Fred...!"
He lost one of his key lead-out men and found it difficult to find the right position at the head of the peloton because of the anxiety of GC riders who wanted to be safe up front, but Robbie McEwen was in the lead when it mattered most. The Australian sprint specialist earned his 10th stage win in the Tour de France a day after Fred Rodriguez crashed out. This one, he insisted immediately after the finish, was for Fred!
“This is the type of sprint that suits me. It’s also good for Freire and Boonen but I just had a better position when it mattered. This wasn’t a coincidence because I usually like to have an understanding of the conclusion of sprint stages; I studied the book and knew what to expect but I also got a call from a friend this morning to tell me what it looked like. I knew there was a rise in the last kilometer and that I should be ready for the left turn just before the line.
“Once again I felt really good and I had perfect support from my team. This win is for Fred Rodriguez who crashed out of the Tour yesterday… it’s a big shame that he can’t be here for this, but it’s important that he knows how much I appreciated his help.
“I was going so hard at the finish that I could barely see. But I knew that there was no one near me when I got close to the line. It’s nice to win that way.
“When you win sprints, you get lots of points. And, as I always say, the priority is to win stages. If I can do that, the green jersey is a bonus.
“It was really hectic for the last 40km. After yesterday’s stage there was a lot of anxiety and the GC riders were all pushing to be up front and out of trouble. It was hard to find a good position but I managed to get there when it mattered.â€
Marcus Fothen – “Avoiding crashes is important…â€
The new leader of the Youth Classification is 24-year-old Gerolsteiner rider Marcus Fothen. He finished 33rd in stage four and leads Benoit Vaugrenard by three seconds. The white jersey is a nice prize but he admits that it’s a consolation for his main priority at the Tour: looking after his team leaders...
“Today was a long stage and tomorrow is the same again and they are really tough but we have two leaders in the Gerolsteiner team and the idea is to protect them. We look after David Kopp in the sprint and hope that we don’t crash; that’s really the most important thing for the first week.
“Fabian Wegmann is very focused on the polka-dot jersey; it’s a big goal and he is looking forward to fighting the mountain jersey. It’s good to have him on the team because he is a good motivator.
“As for me and the white jersey… it’s not the most important things for me. After the first time trial I hope that we have a little bit more of an advantage over the second-placed rider. Perhaps then, I can focus on that goal but really I’m here to work for others in the team.â€
Egoi Martinez - "We try to control things..."
Egoi Martinez instigated the long escape of stage four. He raced ahead at the 18km mark and wasn’t seen by the peloton again until the final two kilometers. It’s not surprising that the jury nominated him as the Most Aggressive Rider...
“To be caught just one kilometer before the finish is a real pity but there are still positive things to consider. It’s nice to be in first place in the team classification; it’s important for the team. We try every day to control things and it’s our intention to remain in the lead of the team classification for the entire Tour de France.â€
Tom Boonen - "I’m in no hurry..."
Fifth in a stage while wearing the yellow jersey is nothing to complain about but when you’re Tom Boonen there’s always pressure to perform. He may have missed out on a victory but he believes that his time will come... until then, he gets to spend another day in the ’maillot jaune’ and that’s something he’s pleased about.
“It really was a great day for me with the yellow jersey on my shoulders. I had to know what the sensation was like to lead the Tour de France and now I’ve done that for one day at least. Of course it was wonderful but to win the stage is still my intention – especially after all the work that my team-mates have done for me. Alas, it was bad at the finish as it sometimes happens. When Steven De Jongh had finished his lead-out I saw McEwen start his sprint. I also wanted to hit out but I bumped into a Gerolsteiner rider – I think it was Wrolich – and that slowed me down a little. By the time I could wind it up again, it was all too late.
“Anyway it doesn’t really matter because I get to spend another day in yellow tomorrow and that’s always a good thing. I’m in no hurry because I’ve already achieved one of my objectives. I’m not afraid of the mountains in the second week. I think I can make it all the way to Paris and go for the win again on the Champs-Elysees.â€
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Wednesday 5 July 2006 
