Silvan Dillier: "I raced against a devil and an angel"

April 8 ^th 2018 - 18:18

“I’ve been training at Gran Canaria with 41 hours of riding in seven days. So I had the foundations for the classics. Unfortunately, I broke a finger at Strade Bianche five weeks ago. I didn’t think I’d come back on the cobbles this season but I got selected at the last moment and I’m very happy to have come to Paris-Roubaix. Peter Sagan was an angel and a devil in the same person. I’m happy that he was working with me very well, but he was a devil to be with because he’s hard to beat in a two man sprint. We have respected each other but he was better than me in the sprint. I entered first on the velodrome and stayed on the outside. Peter launched at the same time but he accelerated faster than me. I had no chance to beat him. I’m very happy that I was in a position to win and a little bit disappointed about not winning but I was against the current best rider. I hope to be the winner in the future. Normally Oliver [Naesen] is our leader for the classics but circumstances made me the leader today. After this I’d like to be at the Tour de France to help Romain Bardet, also on the cobblestones. I’m confident I’ll be selected.”