"You sh*t your pants for a few days and then it's over"; Pedersen wins again after period of illness

Lidl-Trek won the race yet again, and this time, team leader Mads Pedersen was able to finish the job. He opened up the race and kept it under control until the finish. With this victory, he also took the lead in the GC and has already achieved his goal for the Tour de la Provence. After the race, the American team leader did not beat around the bush.

For a long time, the Dane rode with Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious); together, they rode to the difficult finish, where Pedersen was lord and master in the second stage. At first, he did not dare to think about victory. "Only with a few kilometers to go," he explained in the flash interview. "You know a strong group behind you, so it's never safe until you finish. I only dared to think about victory in the last kilometer, but you can never be sure until you reach the finish line."

Last year, Pedersen won three of the four stages, including the GC. That is no longer possible this year, partly because the tour only has three stages. But his form is excellent. Due to illness, Pedersen was forced to withdraw from the Star of Bessèges, but the former world champion has overcome this. "I feel pretty good. I knew I was in good shape. It was a stomach problem: you sh*t your pants for a few days, and then it's over, nothing more than that."

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Pedersen showed himself in the tricky second stage.

Lidl-Trek can now execute plan

On Friday, Lidl-Trek had been working hard from start to finish to bring Pedersen into an advantageous position, but he could not finish it off in the sprint. "We planned to make it a tough race, and we wanted to reach the top with a small group," he said of Saturday's race. Just like the day before, Bauke Mollema was an important link. "When Bauke was finished, I decided it was time to go. Sometimes it pays to go and ride with four people, but the two I brought along didn't want to ride."

A nervous period followed. "I knew immediately that Mohoric and Fred Wright would take turns attacking. Fortunately, Tom (Skujins, ed.) and I were able to neutralize them, which was ideal for us." Ultimately, the Dane took the lead with the Slovenian from Bahrain Victorious." A few kilometers before the finish, he said he was f*cked, but you never know; you can never be sure. You could run into the ground, especially since the end is climbing."

Last year, Pedersen had already won six times after Bessèges and Provence, but now (with a potential win in tomorrow's stage and the GC) he can win a maximum of three. "Winning is winning, and when you win, you gain confidence. It's a good sign that you are ready for the challenges ahead. It is a nice boost, not just for me but also for the team. That already started with Jonny (Jonathan Milan, ed.)."

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