Paul Lapeira
"The collective work was incredible".
"I won twice three weeks ago in the Coupe de France, but now I'm coming to a WorldTour race where the level is completely different and I'm also winning, which is great. I tried to attack for the first time at 1500 metres, but the peloton wouldn't let me go and came straight after me. I then decided to get up for the sprint. Bruno (Armirail) came to pick me up and put me back in the pack at 700 metres, and he did the rest until the 200-metre mark. When I saw that things were starting to pick up again, I launched my sprint, and that did it! It's so good!"
The news
Felix Gall down in the final stretch
Team leader Felix Gall crashed on the final stretch towards Cambo-les-Bains. The roads were made slippery by the rain at the end of the stage. Felix was soon back on the road with the help of Nans Peters, who gave him his bike.
7
Key number
Valentin Retailleau secured a top 10 finish in the WorldTour with an impressive seventh place at the end of the second stage of Tour the Basque Country. Bruno Armirail took ninth place in the general classification, 24 seconds behind the leader, Primoz Roglic. With his victory, Paul also climbed to 11th place in the general classification.
