Try to drop 'super climber' Pedersen on the Poggio! "The form I’m in this week..."

Dragging, panting, breathing heavily, pounding. Mads Pedersen was one of the most active riders in Paris-Nice, where he particularly stood out with his amazingly good climbing legs. On Sunday's final stage, he also showed his best side: he broke away early and gave the real climbers a hard time in the hills around Nice. With this form, the competitors for Milano-Sanremo know that the Dane is a tough man to beat.

The combative Pedersen had one primary goal for the final day of the French stage race. "I wanted to be in the breakaway, and I wanted to do everything I could to get those 10 points in the intermediate sprint," he said afterward in the flash interview. On top of the Col d'Èze, in the final stretch, were the only sprint points of the day, outside the finish. "If I took them all there, and Matteo got none, then I would have the green jersey, regardless of the result at the finish line." The former world champion took it all. "A very successful day, as it turns out," he smiles.

From that intermediate sprint, it was another 25 kilometers to the finish. People started to dream of a stage win for Pedersen, but he never even considered it. "No, never," he laughed. "I had already tried so many things, so I knew on the Col d'Èze that there was nothing else I could do. Victory never occurred to me. It is very nice to win the green jersey. I have worn it several times in this race but lost it on the last day. I can finally say I won the sprinter's jersey in Paris-Nice."

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The best version of Pedersen heading into Sanremo?

Pedersen's first big goal is scheduled for this Saturday. The Lidl-Trek sprinter will go for the title in La Primavera, together with Jonathan Milan. Last year, he finished fourth, his best result to date. The competition is fierce, but the Dane has already shown throughout the week that he is a force to be reckoned with. "The fact that I am starting this week in this form, with Milan-Sanremo and the other spring classics to follow, is excellent. Now we just have to stay healthy."

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