Tour de France: Stage 16 finish line quotes

Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) - Stage 16 winner

It was a difficult day. I was very happy to be in a big group, and I was riding very well. Unfortunately, Philippe [Gilbert] had a nasty fall, but I was feeling good. I wasn't sure I was going to make it, but I paced well. I didn't know if I was going to make it. It was dangerous descent, but I knew it was either Adam Yates or myself who would make it

I will never forget this day. It was an extraordinary day and perfect. It was a tough day, I'm very happy to last until the end and get the stage win. Another day in the polka-dot jersey and I'm going to fight hard to keep it. It will be difficult, but I will fight every day.

Today it was a very crazy day. A lot of pain in my legs, and I think for everybody. I cannot believe I win for the second time today. I knew the final, especially the last climb and the downhill. I'm so happy.

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Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) - Overall leader

We were expecting fireworks and a lot of attacks, but luckily they didn't materialize. Obviously, on the last climb there were a few, but the boys are strong and managed to control those, and then there was the final descent. It was a pretty uneventful day, which is always nice.

Everyone, and Luke Rowe did so well and was riding well on the climbs as well, and with timing, it was good that it took so long for the break to go because it meant that we didn't have to ride as long on the front. The team is riding very well, and the better everyone else rides the better it comes together. It's good.

I think we can expect attacks from the gun [during Tuesday's 65km stage 17], but it would be a bit daring to go that soon because it's a really demanding day and the last climb is super hard, maybe the hardest of the Tour. It will take a gutsy ride to go from the start, but we are expecting the worst.

Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) - Crashed during stage, finished third

Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) - Caught up in farmer protest

Gorka Izaguirre (Bahrain-Merida) - Second on stage 16

Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida) - Fourth on stage

Matt White (Mitchelton-Scott director) - On Yates' crash

Wilfried Peeters (Quick-Step Floors director) - On Gilbert's crash

Christian Prudhomme (Tour de France race director) - On farmers' protest

Nicolas Portal (Team Sky director)

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