“It was my first Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and I really wanted to give it my all to contend for the win. Even though Tadej (Pogacar) was stronger, I wasn’t far off. The very fast pace of the race worked in our favor; even though it required more effort on the climbs, it allowed us to avoid collisions and stay more composed. My teammates did a fantastic job all day, enabling me to stay on the World Champion’s wheel at the foot of the Côte de la Redoute. That’s what allowed me to hang on, even though it was very hard. I knew he would attack again on the Roche-aux-Faucons, but I wasn’t able to go with him, so I focused on the finish and this second-place finish. I’m really very happy with this result, which rewards the work of the entire team.”