Bradley Wiggins fulfilled a childhood dream by taking the yellow jersey after Stage 7 of the Tour de France.
Wiggins's team-mate Chris Froome won the stage, after Team Sky dominated at the front of the peloton from around 100km out.
Cadel Evans of BMC-Racing Team powered into the lead on the final corner, before the final kick to the finish, but Froome had too much climbing power for the Australian and current Tour champion.
However, Wiggins took over the prestigious yellow jersey from Fabian Cancellara, becoming only the fifth Briton in cycling history to do so.
Wiggins told Ned Boulting: "Yeah it's an amazing feeling, it just went perfect today for us the team you know, the boys once again put it on the line and did a fantastic job, 'Froomey' won the stage, it's just mindblowing, he's just going from strength to strength as a bike rider and we got the jersey so it's just fantastic.
"I had to pinch myself a bit last night, I thought: "God, I'm still in this race, I'm still lying second overall with all the crashes and everything."
"Obviously you can't help but think of last year and lying in hospital in Chateauroux, and here we are a year on.
"It's been a fantastic year ... this is what we've been training for, it's fair to say we've peaked now that's for sure."
Asked what he had learned about Cadel Evans, Wiggins added: "Once again you can never underestimate him, he's an incredible champion and he fought every step to the line, and he's not going to give up on this Tour.
"We're in the driving seat now, the next few days we'll look to consolidate this, more so in the time-trial and then we've got a rest day and we're halfway through the Tour then.
"It's not over but you know, everything that's to come in this Tour aside, I'm in the yellow jersey and that's something to be savoured and enjoyed, it's been a childhood dream of mine and you know ... here I am.
"I promised my son yesterday I'd take the yellow jersey so yeah, it's nice."
Talking to Team Sky's official website, Wiggins added: "It's an incredible feeling to have done what we've done and it hasn't sunk in yet.
It sounds corny but this is something I’ve dreamt of since I was a child – sat on the home trainer in Kilburn watching my hero Miguel Indurain do it. Those dreams have come true now and I’m sat here at the top of a mountain in yellow. It’s phenomenal.
"We've trained for performances like that all year and on the climb I was shouting at Froomey with 1.5km to go to save a little bit because he didn't need to go any harder. I knew he could win the stage if he just kept a little bit back and it was a great finish for him.
"My priority was to watch Cadel because I knew I was going to take yellow. It's fantastic – Froomey's taken the stage and is King of the Mountains, and I'm in yellow, so it was an incredible day.
"I'm chuffed for Froomey because he had some bad fortune last week but now he's got his stage and is going to be an integral part to me winning this race now. I've survived a very, very manic first week and just pleased to be in the yellow."
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