"Even though I felt strong, I was really battling to hang on to the group. I kept searching for another gear, but every time I had nowhere to go as I was already in the 12.
"Maybe age is finally catching up with me -- I seem to be lacking a little zip and that's what you need in races like these with such intense changes in pace. As long as I can survive the initial attacks and jumps in speed then I can stay with it because after that it often becomes one long slog.
"But then George [Hincapie] was complaining as well, saying every time he looked up the road, Museeuw or Tchmil was attacking -- yet again. I managed to finish in the main group of 60 riders behind the winning break."