"It's not something I'm obsessed about, but it could happen" - Pello Bilbao could eye podium after successful GC raid at Tour de France

Pello Bilbao managed to break a curse of 5 years without a stage victory for Spanish cycling in the Tour de France and, in a relaxed way, he spoke with Marca to recognize that he had a lot of pressure at the beginning of the Tour de France to start from home.

"Yes, I was a bit overwhelmed. It was difficult to start the Tour at home with all the emotions. The crowd cheering, the people going crazy, the nerves there.... Everyone was eager to see a Spanish victory. You could feel the pressure. Everyone was telling me it could be me..."

Looking ahead to Tuesday's stage it was clear to him that Tuesday's stage was well suited to his characteristics and that Bahrain Victorious had an 'x' on him to try to sneak into the breakaway and for some of their riders to try to fight for the win: "We had faith in winning a stage. I think the team made a strong bet on Tuesday. We went for the breakaway and I was lucky to catch the good group. The rest of the teammates also tried their best. I think we got a great reward.

The Basque acknowledged after his victory that at the end he knew he was the fastest of the leading group. This is how he explained the strategy that made him raise his arms: "It was the perfect situation for me. A hard day that people arrive just right at the sprint. I knew I was the fastest in the group. I was a little afraid of Zimmermann. He was the wheel to watch. In the last meters I was able to close the gap, I looked for the moment and I caught his wheel. The two of us went into the last kilometer alone with the pressure of those coming from behind. He launched the sprint too early, I marked my distance and I only thought about getting to the line".

He does not rule out looking for new chances of victory in the Alps, as he sees himself with good legs. He assures that he really likes the profile of the Alpine stages:

"I would say that the podium, at the moment, are big words because of what you saw in the mountain stages. In Puy de Dome I felt I had good legs, but there were six or seven riders one point ahead. Pogacar and Vingegaard, three points ahead. But in the Alps new opportunities may come. I like them. I feel like taking a risk. Some crazy stage that goes like today's.... Anything can happen."

The indelible memory of Gino Mäder after the victory. He was more than present. He also dedicated it to his daughter Martina. Pello Bilbao talks about the dichotomy of having his little girl in mind on the one hand and his deceased friend on the other:

"It's clear that the first thing was the dedication to Gino for what we are fighting for in this Tour. He has been our motivation to go for a stage victory. And also for my daughter Martina, of course. It would have been for her but, with everything that has happened to us, the team needed this victory. So it was the emotions of polar opposites: on the one hand because of what happened to Gino and, on the other hand, the joy that the innocence of the child brings you. That's what helped me the most when I returned home to recover and feel like fighting in the Tour".

He finishes talking about the general classification of the Tour de France. He has no doubts about the first two and sees Carlos Rodríguez as the favorite for the third place on the podium, although he does not rule himself out:

"The first two places, barring any surprises, are clear. I see Carlos as very solid, so I see him as a serious contender for third place. Me? Maybe, I don't rule out being on the podium of a grand tour in the future. It's not something I'm obsessed about, but it could happen.