During the lead-up to the Tour de France, the CSC-Saxo Bank team insisted that it had one captain in a line-up of champions. Carlos Sastre was to be The Protected Rider and while success has come their way before in the 95th edition of the race, the victory by the team captain at the heralded summit of L’Alpe d’Huez provides enormous satisfaction for the winner and all else involved in a great combined effort.

"We saw a great stage and a team work perfectly together. Without the support of Frank and Andy, this moment would not have been possible. I am happy for many things. To have riders close to me like the colleagues I have is very special; men like Fabian, Stuey, Nicki, Kurt, Vladdy, Jens Voigt and the Schleck brothers is, I think, something very special. For sure, it’s a nice moment for me and a time to enjoy for the whole team and this jersey and the white one worn by Andy are for the team. All of us are really happy today."

Sastre knows its going to be difficult to defend the overall lead on Saturday: "I don’t know about my gains and how it is for the time trial on Saturday. I want to enjoy the moment now and celebrate with my team-mates because they did a fantastic job. The best thing we can do is enjoy the yellow jersey, the white jersey and the stage victory because we have been working really hard for this."

Sastre said it was a hard stage: "I was suffering a lot, man. That climb was hard! They say that when you’re suffering it’s hard to enjoy the moment but when you are gaining time on your rivals, there’s a lot of satisfaction that comes from that. It helps you push as much as you can and try to go as fast as you can."

Sastre was satisfied with his team: "I’m satisfied because the team has given me everything. Big riders like Fabian have sacrificed everything for us to afford our dream. The media has to talk about something and I’m happy that Frank took the pressure off me before. I just hope that everyone appreciates what the CSC-Saxo Bank team has been able to do."

Sastre concluded: "The victory celebration maybe cost me one second. This moment is something that happens once in your lifetime if you’re very, very lucky and I wanted to enjoy it at the time."

During the hubbub of the post-race interviews, it was suggested to Andy Schleck that he’s a future winner of the Tour de France. That may be the case but the leader of the youth classification isn’t prepared to talk up his chances while he’s busy working on another job.

Andy Schleck said: "I felt really good but I’m here to learn and it’s been a good Tour so far and I showed also some weakness which some others didn’t and that’s why I’m so far down in the general classification now. But I’m optimistic and I’m really happy to finish third today here, on Alpe d’Huez. I mean, I think I showed something and nobody else could have followed Carlos today. He was incredibly strong and also really confident when he had to be. When he left us, nobody could really do anything."

Andy Schleck continued: "I’m not listening when people say I’m a future winner of the Tour de France. I’ll stay with my feet on the ground. What everybody expects from me and what they say about me… well, that’s just talk but I’m the one who has to do the work and I’d like to come back here one day and try again. I know that it was a lot of work to do to be here and do what I’ve done this year."

Andy Schleck wants to finish at the podium next year: "I will come back in one year and try to reach the podium of the Tour. I think it’s possible; why not? But I’m not going to say that I’m going to win it one day."

He lost the yellow jersey by following a team plan but Andy's brother Fränk Schleck is content. He’s aware that the job isn’t completely finished for CSC-Saxo Bank but the team continues to lead the race even if he has dropped down the rankings to second overall.

Fränk Schleck said: "We had planned that Carlos would attack at the beginning of the climb and that I should attack afterwards but he got away and he took it all the way to the line and deserves everything that he’s earned. I’m not at all disappointed. I’m happy that he’s taken the yellow jersey; that’s the only way that we can win the Tour."

Fränk Schleck continued: "I didn’t get any orders on what to do. We are professionals and we are friends so I didn’t need to be told how to ride. Things went exactly according to plan and it happened right from the start of the crucial phase. We were prepared to back up an attack from Carlos with one from me, then one from Andy until we made the other leaders tired."

Fränk Schleck added: "We’ve seen a beautiful stage today from CSC and I’m proud of our boys."

Fränk Schleck said about Saturdays time trial: "I don’t want to talk about the time gaps we need over Cadel Evans; next thing I’ll be asked how many seconds I need to stay on the podium… come on, we had to play our tactics today and we’ll consider what needs to be done next. One step at a time. For Cadel we hoped to try just a series of small attacks and see if he would show any weaknesses or if he would blow at one point. It would have been different. But he never blew so we had to play it this way."

On the top of the Alpe d'Huez, the minor disappointment in the Rabobank camp was replaced with relief, admiration, and hope. Relief because Denis Menchov sustained no damage in the end. Admiration for the captain's display of character after his minor meltdown at the base of the climb. And hope, because miracles still exist. "Nothing is impossible," knew Denis Menchov. Rabobank's sports director Erik Breukink said: "The gap is wide, but the Tour was long and heavy and it is a long time trial. We shall see."

Denis Menchov quickly got over the fatigues and disappointment about his failed attack. "That is cycling. Anything is possible." The stage progressed just like he had expected. "I knew it would start early on the Alpe d'Huez. When Sastre went, I knew that that was the right attack. But he went too fast. I had to let go immediately, but I was able to pull myself together quickly. The time trial? It is long. Anything is possible in cycling. You could see that today. Nothing has been permanently lost," it sounded combative.

Erik Breukink was satisfied with the performance of his captain. "He shows tremendous character. That is the most positive thing I can get out of this day." Just like Menchov, Breukink had known it would explode soon, but feared that it would go completely wrong when he had to drop off immediately. "It was the moment it was going to erupt. You could set your timer for that. But unfortunately it turned out that Denis did not have it in legs in regard to Sastre, who really went incredibly fast on that steep part."

"We hoped that the others would explode. But that did not happen. It was Menchov of all people who exploded. And then we feared a heavy loss for a moment." Breukink had seen it often with others. "When you drop off on that point, ninety percent of the time you lose maybe ten minutes. But we soon saw that he regained his rhythm. The rest was also hanging by a thread. He got back piece by piece. Denis shortly tried after that, but that was more hope than realism."

The director of the Rabobank Cycling Teams, Harold Knebel watched the stage from Breukink's team manager's car. He saw an amazing spectacle and enjoyed watching Denis Menchov. "This is the Tour of the comebacks for Denis. Things go wrong for him four times and he shows character every time and comes back," said Knebel. "It grew quiet in the car when he had to let go after that fast attack, but our morale was boosted when we saw that the gap did not widen."

Knebel refused to throw in the towel. "We shall see. But you will not hear me complaining when we arrive in Paris with the green jersey, a man on the podium, and a stage victory. And who knows what might get added." On his presence in the pursuing car. A boy's dream? "What do you think? I biked up this mountain a couple of times. But then without the thousands of spectators. But I have to admit I did not notice a single spectator. I was completely focused on Denis and the small TV in the car. It was thrilling."

The fight was worthwhile for Bernhard Kohl. Although Team Gerolsteiner's captain had to go to the limit during the royal stage of the 95th Tour de France, the Austrian defended his position amongst the leaders of the General Classification.

"Today was definitely the toughest day in my cycling career", said Kohl after his once again impressive performance, adding: "I'm happy about the result ." And rightly so. Gerolsteiners sports director Christian Henn said: "Bernhard fought superbly and was justly rewarded." But the Austrian didn't only achieve tenth place in the day's classification, he also busily continued to collect points in the mountain standing – and now has a total of 125 points to his name. "I really wanted a place on the podium in Paris. And I've made use of the chance to achieve that goal", said the 26-year-old who can no longer be caught up with. Now the main goal is to reach the French capital.