INTERVIEW | "You always hope to win, but on a stage like this — top 10... I’m pleased" - Samuel Watson impresses in first ever Tour de France stage
CyclingSaturday, 05 July 2025 at 18:05
INEOS Grenadiers' Samuel Watson is having a hell of a week. After claiming the British national road title last week, the Brit was a surprise call-up to the 2025 Tour de France, and in his first ever Grand Tour stage, Watson has picked up a very creditable top-10 finish.
At the line, the newly-crowned British champion gave his immediate reaction to CyclingUpToDate. "I mean, it was obviously super stressful — very nervous in the bunch," admitted Watson, having been part of an elite 30+ rider lead group to reach the final sprint for the line. "Maybe on TV it looks easy on those climbs, but we were all across the road. They were hard climbs, and then when it went in the wind as well... yeah, it wasn’t easy."
All in all, a very tough opening to Watson's Grand Tour career, but as already mentioned, one that he impressed in. "I was pushing — it was hard — but to be honest, I’m pretty happy with how I felt today. Especially after the Nationals, where I didn’t know how I was coming in," he analyses. "I had some days off, so yeah, I was pleasantly surprised."
Still though, that winning mentality comes through, as despite a top-10 in his first ever Grand Tour stage, Watson feels like he could have achieved more. "You always hope for more, you always hope to win, but on a stage like this — a sprint stage — top 10... I’m going to be pleased with that," he concludes.
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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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