“I wanted to thank all my teammates who rode hard from the start of the day, controlled the breakaways, and put me in position at the key moments. I’m really happy to have pulled it off. Winning on my first attempt is incredible! I was still watching this race on TV last year. It’s the result of a team effort: our plan was to set a fast pace on the Mur to wear down the other riders. Then, I rode based on how I felt, checking the signs to see where I was in relation to the finish, and I saw that everyone was at their limit. When they eased off a bit, I told myself I had to go all out to the top. Sunday in Liège will be a whole different story, but I’m going to fight to do my best; today’s result shows that I’m in top form.”