“I’m very happy—this is the result I was hoping for, of course, but I didn’t think I’d have such a big lead. It’s really a nice surprise. That said, I think I managed the time trial well. This is my first World Tour victory Tour a discipline I really love, one I’ve been working Tour since my junior days with my coach and my team. The race isn’t over yet; the Tour Basque Country is a demanding event. There are five days left, with some very difficult stages, but I’m still in the running. This validates all the work I’ve put in since the start of the season and my last training camp in Nice.”