This Friday, Andrea Pasqualon became the fifth rider of the World Team to achieve a top ten in this 109th edition of the Tour de France. The Italian rider took tenth place in the thirteenth stage towards Saint-Etienne, where Alexander Kristoff won his first of four Tour de France stages in 2014.
Behind the six escaped riders who sprinted for the victory, Pasqualon ended fourth of the peloton, finishing in the top ten. Louis Meintjes stayed out of trouble and remained in thirteenth position in the general classification.
« We knew that a breakaway could be successful today, just like yesterday in Alpe d'Huez. We spent a lot of energy yesterday to get Kobe Goossens and Louis Meintjes up the front and we did exactly the same today, especially trying to send Taco van der Hoorn with the breakaway. But the decision was made on the first climb and at that moment I didn't have the legs to join the attacks. It was a very intense stage, it was only with 5 kilometer to go that the rhythm in the peloton decreased. Alexander and I managed to survive so we could sprint for seventh place. I'm looking forward to the next opportunities to sprint for the victory with Alexander. It is possible that I will be the last man in certain hilly stages, because I worked hard on my climbing capabilities. After the Alps, I'm among the first 60 riders in the classification! »
