"I'm glad people notice me and support me. It gives me extra strength" - Carlos Rodríguez's strong performances haven't gone unnoticed by public

INEOS Grenadiers came into Tour de France without a clear GC leader for the first time in years. However youngsters Carlos Rodríguez and Thomas Pidcock picked up where their predecessors left off and are active in the battle for top 5 and maybe even podium.

"I think I'm doing fine. Of course I have to keep an eye on how my body reacts, but I'm used to it. Where I come from, it's usually quite warm, so hopefully that's a positive aspect for me," the 22-year old Rodríguez shares first impressions from his Tour de France debut in online press conference.

"Now comes a pretty tough week. The mountain stages in the weekend will probably cause the biggest differences." Rodríguez has gained a lot of popularity in recent months, mainly due to his strong performances. "I'm glad people notice me and support me. It does not create extra pressure, but it is an extra strength."

As Ineos has currently two riders placed in the GC, many wonder whether it wouldn't have been better to focus on just one rider. "At the moment we are in good shape with two men in the general classification. As long as our bodies continue to respond well in the mountains, I think it's good to have two trump cards. In my opinion, we can achieve the best possible result that way."