Several riders and sports directors spoke to the organizers of the Vuelta a Espana at the start of today's stage. Below you can read what they had to say.

Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin): “As of now I’m not going to ride the Vuelta at my own pace but at that of Fabio Aru’s. I will ride conservatively. It’s true that he is explosive but I will not give him anything.”

Christian Guiberteau (Giant-Alpecin sports director): “We drank two bottles of Cava to celebrate that. Last night after the TT where he gave a lot mentally, Tom was totally empty. Now the strategy is simple. Fabio Aru won’t leave his sight. Today the stage suits us, we will ride at the front on small roads. The fact the team are still complete while Astana are down to seven is a psychological advantage. The key stage is Saturday’s. But against Movistar and Katusha, Astana, who will want to retain their second place, will be our ally.”

Giuseppe Martinelli (Astana sports director): “Today we’re going to see how it goes but we will attack on Saturday. Dumoulin is very strong so I don’t believe he can be unsettled today. The Vuelta will be decided on Saturday.”

Tristan Hoffman (Tinkoff-Saxo sports director): “Rafal Majka was sad on Monday night and he was sad again yesterday after the time trial. But I reminded him that the initial goal was top 5 and so far he’s achieved it. He tried everything and this Vuelta gives him exaclty an indication of what he needs to do in the future.”

Eusebio Unzue (Movistar team manager): “We can still hope to finish on the podium with either Alejandro or Nairo. There are still some hard days coming up. For the first time since the start of the Vuelta, Nairo said (on the morning of the time trial) that he was feeling very well and he indeed rode a fantastic TT.”

Julien Jurdie (AG2r-La Mondiale sports director): “It’s going to be a big battle because there is a first category climb shortly before the finish followed by a tricky descent and Dumoulin is very tired. This battle for the red jersey could benefit Pozzo because he won’t be a marked man.”

Merijn Zeeman (LottoNL-Jumbo sports director): “A lot of Dutch people would like to see Tom Dumoulin win the red jersey. It is going to be a normal race. The Vuelta is decided in the climbs and we don’t have the climbers to help him.”

Dario Cioni (Team Sky sports director): “We’re leading the team classification but Movistar are giving us a hard time and we also have Mikel Nieve in the top 10 of the GC so that’s a result we want to hold to. We also want to have the opportunity to go for a stage win.”

Amael Moinard (BMC Racing): “It’s going to take some luck to be in the breakaway today because everyone will want to be in it. There should be two races today: one for the stage, one for GC unless Katusha and Astana want to go for the time bonuses at the finish.”

Simon Pellaud (IAM Cycling): “It’s going to be a bit of a lottery to be in the breakaway today with 75 km of flat roads to start the stage. Let’s hope it will not be windy. Being in the breakaway is out first ambition in the team.”

Johnny Weltz (Cannondale-Garmin sports director): “Andrew Talansky is not starting today, he’s been suffering from a cough for several days. Once again we will be looking to be in the breakaway. But with the teams who want to win a stage and those who want to win the Vuelta, I think the next three days will be furious.”

Rik van sklycke (Etixx-Quick Step sports director): “Gianluca  Brambilla rode a fine TT on a course that did not suit him. He’s 12th in the GC and I think the top 10 is impossible. But if he’s top 15 in Madrid we will be satisfied. We will go in the breakaway but we will have to be careful because I think Movistar and Astana are up to something. Bad news Nikki Terpstra hurt his knee with his handlebar and he went back Belgium this morning to see the doctor as he wants to preserves his chances to take part in the individual and team time trials at the world championships.”

Jean-Pierre Heynderickx (MTN-Qhubeka sports director): “We are really happy with Louis Meintjes’s performance yesterday in the TT. He gave us a scare after losing 30 seconds in the first 17 km but then he only lost a further 10 seconds, eventually managing a good result. It’s a stage for a breakaway, we will try to be in it and if don’t make it Louis’s team mates will have to work anyway because we need to protect our leader.”

Songezo Jim (MTN-Qhubeka): “It’s not over but I’m about to finish my first grand tour. It’s a great experience, crucial for my future. It justifies the support I have from South Africa even in the media because I am on a TV show everyday. My best memory is when I was in the breakaway in stage 8 but it’s not over.”

Nicolas Roche (Team Sky): “Mentally it’s tough, I am struggling to finish the Vuelta. Everything went bad the day I crashed on that roundabout at 40 kph. I won’t be unhappy when it’s over in Madrid. My season will end there.”

Pedro Delgado: “I think that Tom Dumoulin will win the Vuelta. If he struggles or if his team struggle the will be able to rely on Astana who don’t want to let Purito, Valverde and Majka take what’s theirs. Anyway Dumoulin is the strongest. I think he did not believe he could do so well on a grand tour."