“For Gino,” says emotional stage winner Bilbao: “All the frustration came out, this is a very special one”

Everyone knew why he was in the Tour de France and on day ten Pello Bilbao did it. The Spaniard of Bahrain Victorious lost all his racing joy the day before the Tour after the death of his friend and teammate Gino Mäder, and in the tenth stage he made the ultimate tribute.

“We were fully focused for this stage and scouted the first forty kilometers on the rest day. We expected a tough race and were mentally ready for it. At a critical point there were five of us in the top twenty, everyone tried and I would have preferred to be with two teammates. No one was thinking, everyone went all-in. I waited for the right moment, when everyone was at their limit, because that was my chance.”

Bilbao was in the lead, but for a while he still feared being caught up. “Then we agreed at the front that we would ride all the way. Krists Neilands made another huge attack and I think he was the strongest today, but he wasted a lot of energy. In the chase we worked well together and in the last three kilometers I knew I was the fastest man. I closed the gaps with O'Connor and Zimmermann and sprinted full in the last 200 meters and didn't think about anything else.”

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Bilbao emotional while thinking of Mäder

It wasn't until after the line that there were celebrations, and there was something special behind that. “All the frustration came out, this is a very special one, for Gino. It was hard to prepare myself in the last two weeks before the Tour, with him in mind. I've been at home with my family and my wife has helped me a lot. "Stay calm and positive," she said. I had to put all my positive energy into doing something great in this Tour. I wanted to do it in the first two stages in the Basque Country, but it didn't work out. After that, I waited for my moment.”

That Bilbao is now also fifth overall as a bonus is a nice addition. He started the day in 11th place, but regained three minutes. “For a moment I thought my place in the general classification would be a problem, but it was the right move. My first stage win in the Tour, after 13 years as a pro.... This is a very special moment for me.”