"This is a very important victory for me. I'm really happy because the Tour de France is the most important race in the world. I did as well as I could. I worked hard to get this kind of victory. It was the stage we [Astana] were aiming for and I'm happy that it paid off and all the hard work paid off

"We were talking about this stage on the bus today and we knew it was a stage we could go for. I lost enough time to get into the breakaway group and once I got into the climb I was able to keep my rhythm. Alexandre Vinokurov told me about the most difficult 2km section and I made the most of it. I was a little worried when I heard that Jesus Herrada was 25 seconds back, but I knew that if I didn't go into the red and gave it my all I could win." (ASO)

"It was a strong run. There were a lot of riders who really wanted to go today. It was flat all the way up to the climb, so it was hard to control, but I think we did a good job. In the end Mikel [Nieve] and Esteban [Chaves Rubio] were with us, so overall it was a good day.

"But there was not much for anyone to gain because the breakaway group had already opened a gap and they took all the bonuses. The final climb wasn't that steep and it took a lot of effort to gain a few seconds. Everyone was saving their energy for later in the day. We defended well.

"It was a strange situation. We rode well today and I'm proud of the jersey. Tomorrow we have a sprint stage and two really hard stages. I know the climbs well and it will be a super tough stage. I'm looking forward to it because we have a strong team not only on the flat stages but also on the climbing stages."

"I still want to win a stage and that's what I came here for. From now on I will take it one day at a time and see what happens." (ASO)

"It was a tough mountain stage though. To be honest, I felt pretty strong [on the Col de la Luzette]. I expected more attacks on that climb, but because of the false flat after Mandagut, I couldn't see the riders in front. The Pyrenees is just getting underway, so that's where I'm concentrating." (Eurosport)

"I think it was a good day to try something. We were still approaching the GC, so we did it with an uphill start. It was super hard and there was a super hard break. But Lutsenko was really strong, especially on the steep part. I couldn't find my rhythm there and it was hard to catch up to him."

"I've been here on vacation so I knew how the climb was going to be and I thought if I could get through the steep part it might be a good climb for me. It was good to finally get to the front. When we started, there was nothing free from the names of the riders who were breaking. It was the strongest braking I have ever had. With finishes like this, you never stop and always keep going. I was very happy with the finish, because on a climb like this the GC riders can't make a big difference.

"When I saw Lutsenko, Elada, and Roche, I knew it was not going to be easy. I did my best

"I'm happy because the stronger players won and I didn't make any mistakes. I have no problems. I knew if I climbed through the first category I had a chance to win and that was my card, when I got to six minutes behind I was hoping, I knew I had a good chance to win. (Frobaix, NBC)

"It was incredibly hard in the beginning. Everyone in that group was able to roll incredibly hard on the flats. It's not often that a rider can hold speeds in the high 40s to low 50s mph for so long. Once in the pack, almost everyone was taller than me, like Daniel Oss and Greg [van Avermaat], so I was able to hide behind them.

"I think the timing of the attack was also appropriate. On the steep climbs, the guys behind me received the fewest assists and drafts from my attacks. I think this will help me grow in the future and maybe one day I will be strong enough to attack like that." (ITV)

"We knew the climb was pretty tricky and the surface was bad. So we just rode ahead at our own speed to conserve energy and stay safe. Mission accomplished.

"We weren't afraid to go for the stage win, but it was a pretty strong breakaway group. I knew it wasn't going to be easy for Mitchelton-Scott, so I bet on a breakaway today." (ITV)

"I expected today's stage to be hard. For me it was harder than I expected. I had a puncture on the first category climb (Col de la Luzette). I didn't use much energy but the puncture is important. At the end I tried to sprint for the top 10, but I think I was close. Today's result is OK

"It feels strange to be competing against the best in the world at the Tour de France. I'm not surprised by my form, I knew what my form was. (Eurosport)

"Alexey Lutsenko was the strongest in the break. The first thing I said over the radio was that Lutsenko was the one to follow. We had been riding on the flat all day and the first acceleration on the climb changed our rhythm. It was a shame because my tactics up to that point had been good.

"Thomas de Gendt made the first attack at the start. It was a bit telegraphed and I waited for a counter. Remi Cavagna crossed with Greg Van Avermaat. When I saw the quality of the others, I knew they were good, world-class athletes, and I knew we would do well if we ran together."

"The Col de la Russette was a leg-breaking climb. It was like an Alpine climb, a real Tour de France col. Very demanding and very difficult to manage.

"I wasn't surprised that the GC riders were with us. That's why I went into the break. I knew it would be a good day for braking. This weekend in the Pyrenees, it will be a battle between the leaders." (France Télévisions)