Sebastien Reichenbach tackled his first Tour de France with wide-open eyes but without undue fear.

The former mountain-biker from Martigny is one of the excellent climbers in Swiss team IAM, itself embarking on a race crucial for its future.

“Here everything is bigger, the media pressure is stronger but at the end of the day, it's only a cycling race,” said the ambitious debutant, who has real objectives in his first Tour.

The rider who finished 11th in the last Paris Nice demonstrated in that Race to the Sun his qualities by challenging final winner Carlos Betancur for the best young rider jersey. On the Tour to help Mathias Frank in the mountains, he was forced to change plans like the rest of his team after his leader crashed out of the race with a fractured leg.

On a personal level, the Swiss climber has wishes he can still fulfil:

“To make it to Paris in good condition would be a real success. But I also keep an eye on the Pyrenean stages for their profile suits me ideally,” he said to letour.fr