«I was really motivated to achieve a good result on this final stage. The route suited my strengths well. The team did a great job trying to push the pace. For my part, I felt that my legs were strong. I'm happy to have been able to respond on the final climb, but I'm still disappointed that I didn't manage to win the stage against Simon Yates and Jay Vine. Still, I want to focus on the positives: it was a great week to start the season. Everyone on the team was on point. We'll have another chance to achieve success together at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race next Sunday.»