A broken collarbone, and perhaps more worryingly, a broken wrist: exactly how competitive can Mads Pedersen expect to be when the first big races on his own personal calendar roll around in six weeks' time?

The Dane is slated to ride Milan-San Remo on March 21, before going on to race at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. But after crashing hard in yesterday's Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana his whole Spring campaign has been put in jeopardy. Adding insult to injury, it was his first race of the season – and he didn't even get to finish.

His Lidl-Trek team confirmed the details of his injuries last night and said he would be having surgery today (Thursday 5 Feb), adding:

"Lidl-Trek's first priority is to ensure Mads receives the best possible care, and the primary focus is on achieving the most successful recovery possible to minimize the impact on his seasonal goals. We will communicate his return to racing in due course, and if necessary, we will share updates."

The standard recovery time for a collarbone break is around six weeks, but wrist fractures can be more complex and require a longer recovery time – especially for a cyclist who is required to grip the handlebars and especially in races such as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, with brutal cobblestones that require every ounce of grip strength and control.

The 30-year-old is likely to be riding the trainer again within the week, but he will miss out on the long, hard racing and riding that he would usually expect to put in at this time of year – the rest of the five-day Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, for a start, which continues today with a 17km time trial and with all eyes on Remco Evenepoel.

Pedersen, a three-time Ghent-Wevelgem winner and former world champion, had been in ebullient form at the start of the season, declaring his intention to win his first Monument in the Spring, and saying how he felt that he could beat riders like Tadej Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert on the right day.

We are still awaiting an update from Pedersen himself, but his crash will have dealt his plans a potentially devastating blow.

A typically unrelenting second week in the Vuelta a España 2025 has seen the general classification crystallise as the favourites come to the fore and the hopefuls fall by the wayside.

There have been surprises though, including the way UAE Team Emirates-XRG continues to keep pulling winning card after winning card out of the deck, despite controversy over their team spirit.

And then there is Tom Pidcock's continued success in the general classification, with the Yorkshireman remaining on course for a Grand Tour best-ever.

In terms of the parcours, the Alto de L'Angliru was the stand out moment of the week, forcing everyone to dig deep as they pit man and machine against terrain. Impressive moments.

Let's take a look back over what we've seen in the Vuelta a España week two.

1. Jonas Vingegaard is not running away with this race

Jonas Vingegaard goes into the rest day with a 48-second cushion over next best rider Joāo Almeida. As far as cushions go, it is not the most comfortable. Think tatty bar stool rather than plush lounge armchair.

There's no doubt he would have preferred the plushness of, say, a two-minute gap, especially with the Portuguese rider looking as dangerous as he does.

After Vingegaard's PB-busting performances in the Tour de France, where he professed to have seen some of his best numbers and stood head and shoulders ahead of everyone in the race bar Tadej Pogačar, it might have been easy to assume that the Visma-Lease a Bike rider would walk the Vuelta a España.

But Almeida of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, who has won three week-long stage races this year, is clearly on fine form and determined to push him till the end.

With an extremely tough week ahead that includes three summit finishes, two high mountain stages and a time trial, that 48-seconds could disappear rapidly down the plughole of one bad day. The GC still hangs in the balance.

2. The Angliru is still tough – but so are the riders

Much of the talk last week was of the fearsome Alto de L'Angiru on stage 13 – one of the toughest climbs not just in this race but in the entire repertoire of pro cycling. There's no doubt that its ultra-steep slopes, which surpass 20% in places and feature a six-kilometre section that averages between 10 and 16%, inspire fear in those tasked with racing up it.

And just in case the riders had forgotten what a 10%-plus slope looked like, the Angliru was preceded on the stage in short order by a pair of category-one climbs that featured plenty of them.

But for all the talk, the day itself was a thrilling masterclass in the power and grace of the professional bike rider (as well as the importance of choosing the right gear ratios).

The GC riders, led by Joāo Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) seized the climb by the scruff of the neck and powered from bottom to top without missing a beat.

It was clearly extremely hard going, but the panache with which it was ridden, not just by the top riders but pretty much all comers, reduced it to something far more palatable.

As someone who remembers riders crawling up steep climbs, zig-zagging across the road on corn-cob blocks, this modern taming of the terrain takes a touch of the spectacle away from it.

Nevertheless, it's an impressive watch.

3. Mads Pedersen's wait for a stage win is over

A classification leader's jersey is all about consistency rather than highs and lows. On occasion, for example, a rider will win a Grand Tour without actually winning a stage. It's never the preferred way, but the raison d'être of a GC rider is to win overall – everything else is secondary.

The raison d'être of the sprinter, on the other hand, is to cross the line first. That's why Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was sporting an expression of almost pathological relief when he won stage 15 to Monforte de Lemos on Sunday.

Barring incident, the green points jersey looks as though it will almost certainly be his on Sunday in Madrid – he currently leads second-placed Jonas Vingegaard by 98 points – but that all-important stage win had so far eluded him.

He came close in Ceres with second on stage three, losing out to David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), and he was fifth on the hilly stage 12, unable to bring back breakaway pair Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) and Javier Romo (Movistar).

Pedersen is not a pure sprinter. One of his strengths is his ability on lumpier, classics-style terrain. But all the same, he will now consider his green jersey campaign complete with the addition of a stage victory.

4. Tom Pidcock's GC campaign shows no sign of faltering

As the race closed out at Monforte de Lemos on Sunday evening, Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) was still there in third place on GC, a useful (though far from decisive) 32 seconds ahead of fourth placed Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).

This is uncharted territory for the Yorkshire rider. Never before this race has he ventured higher than fifth place on the overall, and that was for a single day in week one of the 2022 Tour de France.

This is very different. He's been ensconced in third place on the Vuelta for five days now, having spent the previous two days in fourth.

Week three does, of course, have a way of finding a rider out, as the distance and the mountains take their toll.

But the 26-year-old continues to look solid. If he can take this all the way to Madrid it will be a career high for him.

5. UAE Team Emirates-XRG appears to be an unstoppable juggernaut

When Juan Ayuso appeared to fall apart in week one, losing more than 10 minutes on GC on stage six to Andorra, it seemed as though one key weapon in the UAE Team Emirates-XRG armoury had been comprehensively decommissioned – at least for this race.

Their other GC contender, Joāo Almeida, may have remained, but the team looked severely weakened. (Ayuso's tirade against his employer in week two over his early contract termination didn't seem as though it would help either, but that's another story).

But few would have predicted that the team would continue to thrive, only appearing to become stronger and stronger as its riders inspired each to greater feats.

The situation as it stands, is that UAE Team Emirates has won seven of 15 stages. What makes this even more impressive is that this isn't down to one stand-out individual. Rather, these wins have been taken by four separate riders – Jay Vine (stages 6, 10) Ayuso (stages 7, 12), Almeida (stage 13), and Marc Soler (stage 14). Plus of course there is the cherry on the cake – their team time trial win.

The only question for UAE Team Emirates-XRG right now is who will win next.

Two late changes have been made to the start list for the Vuelta a España, which begins this Saturday, 23 August.

Damiano Caruso is out of the race for Bahrain Victorious after he fractured his hand slipping over "accidentally" on the floor this week, and is replaced by Finlay Pickering. Ben Turner, meanwhile, joins Ineos Grenadiers after Lucas Hamilton fell ill.

All teams have been announced for the 80th edition of the Spanish Grand Tour, ahead of three weeks of racing from Turin, Italy, to Madrid on 14 September.

Every squad has eight riders, with varying objectives; some teams aim for the overall win or top 10 on the general classification, while others aim for stage wins, sprints or otherwise.

Egan Bernal, winner of the 2019 Tour de France and 2021 Giro d'Italia, will be supported by a strong Ineos Grenadiers team which includes Filippo Ganna and Michał Kwiatkowski.

"My preparation has been good, and with the team we’re bringing - a mix of Grand Tour winners, strong support and guys hungry to show themselves - we can be confident," Bernal said in a statement.

After withdrawing early from the Tour de France after breaking his collarbone, Jasper Philipsen returns to Grand Tour action for Alpecin-Deceuninck at the Vuelta. He comes with a lead-out train, looking to add to his three previous stage wins.

Soudal Quick-Step have become T-Rex Quick-Step for the Vuelta a España and will be led by Mikel Landa, supported by Tour de France stage winner Valentin Paret-Peintre.

Fresh from winning the Tour of Denmark, Mads Pedersen will lead Lidl-Trek alongside Giulio Ciccone.

Pedersen, a four-time stage winner at this year's Giro, will seek to add to his three previous Vuelta stage wins, as Lidl-Trek chase a clean sweep of points jerseys at Grand Tours this season.

He will ride with a mixed team which includes Ciccone, a three-time Giro stage winner.

Jayco AlUla head to the Vuelta with Ben O'Connor, who finished second overall last year, off the back of winning the Col de la Loze stage at the Tour de France. He will be joined by Eddie Dunbar, who crashed out of the Tour, and Chris Harper, stage winner at the Giro.

Visma-Lease a Bike will be led by Jonas Vingegaard, second at the recent Tour de France. He will attempt to win the Vuelta for the first time, to add to his two Tour crowns. Visma won the Giro d'Italia this year through Simon Yates, so would win a second Grand Tour of 2025 were they to triumph in Spain.

The Dane will be joined by Matteo Jorgenson, former winner Sepp Kuss, Victor Campenaerts, Dylan van Baarle, Wilco Kelderman, Ben Tulett and Axel Zingle.

“The overall win is our big goal, there’s no need to be coy about that,” Grischa Niermann, the team's head of racing, said. “Jonas is our leader and our biggest chance for the overall victory. But with Sepp, we have a former winner at the start, and Matteo has recovered well after the Tour de France."

UAE Team Emirates-XRG, who won the Tour through Tadej Pogačar, announced their eight for the Vuelta earlier in August, with the Slovenian absent.

They will be led by João Almeida and Juan Ayuso as they attempt to claim the red jersey; Almeida will be a top favourite alongside Vingegaard for overall victory.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe will not bring defending champion Primož Roglič, instead targeting success through Giulio Pellizzari and Jai Hindley.

Tom Pidcock was confirmed to be leading Q36.5 Pro Cycling at the Vuelta, alongside David de la Cruz and Damien Howson.

Picnic PostNL are without Max Poole, but bring a mixed squad with Chris Hamilton, Kevin Vermaerke, and Casper van Uden.

Meanwhile, Felix Gall leads Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, fresh from finishing fifth overall at the Tour de France.

There are six riders aged 25 or younger in EF Education-EasyPost's squad, which includes Grand Tour debuts for Archie Ryan, Markel Beloki, Lukas Nerurkar and Jardi van der Lee.

Meanwhile, Bahrain Victorious are targeting the podium through Antonio Tiberi and stage wins with an experienced eight.

Groupama-FDJ take experience and stage-winning options to the Vuelta, through Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet, Stefan Küng and David Gaudu, among others.

XDS Astana head to Spain with Harold Martín Lopez, Sergio Higuita and Harold Tejada, while Intermarché-Wanty bring Louis Meintjes and Dion Smith in a mixed squad.

Movistar are without their big GC hope Enric Mas or former winner Nairo Quintana, but do come with Pablo Castrillo, a two-time stage winner at last year's race.

There are 18 WorldTour teams and five ProTeams on the start list; the WorldTour teams have automatic entry, along with Lotto and Israel-Premier Tech as the two best-ranked ProTeams of 2024. The other three invites are handed out at the organiser's discretion.

The full list of teams set to compete at the Vuelta are below.

Vuelta a España 2025 start list

Alpecin-Deceuninck
PLANCKAERT Edward (Bel)
PHILIPSEN Jasper (Bel)
RICKAERT Jonas (Bel)
VERGALLITO Luca (Ita)
BAYER Tobias (Aut)
GLIVAR Gal (Slo)
DEBRUYNE Ramses (Bel)
RIESEBEEK Oscar (Ned)

Arkéa-B&B Hotels
GUERNALEC Victor (Fra)
BIERMANS Jenthe (Bel)
GARCÍA PIERNA Raúl (Esp)
ROULAND Louis (Fra)
THIERRY Pierre (Fra)
RODRÍGUEZ Cristián (Esp)
VERRE Alessandro (Ita)
LOZOUET Léandre (Fra)

Bahrain Victorious
BUITRAGO Santiago (Col)
BURATTI Nicolò (Ita)
PICKERING Finlay (GBr)
ERMAKOV Roman (Rus)
HAIG Jack (Aus)
PAASCHENS Mathijs (Ned)
TIBERI Antonio (Ita)
TRÆEN Torsten (Nor)

Burgos Burpellet BH
FAGÚNDEZ Eric Antonio (Uru)
APARICIO Mario (Esp)
CHUMIL Sergio Geovani (Gua)
FAURA José Luis (Esp)
CAVIA Daniel (Esp)
DE LA CALLE Hugo (Esp)
GARCÍA PIERNA Carlos (Esp)
FERNÁNDEZ Sinuhé (Esp)

Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
BARCELÓ Fernando (Esp)
SILVA Guillermo Thomas (Uru)
OTRUBA Jakub (Cze)
BOU Joan (Esp)
NICOLAU Joel (Esp)
GUARDEÑO Jaume (Esp)
BALDERSTONE Abel (Esp)
MOLENAAR Alex (Ned)

Cofidis
CARR Simon (GBr)
ANIOŁKOWSKI Stanisław (Pol)
BUCHMANN Emanuel (Ger)
COQUARD Bryan (Fra)
HERRADA Jesús (Esp)
KNIGHT Oliver (GBr)
OURSELIN Paul (Fra)
SAMITIER Sergio (Esp)

Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
BISIAUX Léo (Fra)
GALL Felix (Aut)
PETERS Nans (Fra)
STAUNE-MITTET Johannes (Nor)
DE PESTEL Sander (BEl)
ARMIRAIL Bruno (Fra)
LABROSSE Jordan (Fra)
SCOTSON Callum (Aus)

EF Education-EasyPost
BELOKI Markel (Esp)
CHAVES Esteban (Col)
MIHKELS Madis (Est)
NERURKAR Lukas (GBr)
QUINN Sean (USA)
RYAN Archie (Ire)
SHAW James (GBr)
VAN DER LEE Jardi (Ned)

Groupama-FDJ
MARTIN GUYONNET Guillaume (Fra)
KÜNG Stefan (Sui)
GAUDU David (Fra)
CAVAGNA Remi (Fra)
MOLARD Rudy (Fra)
BRAZ AFONSO Clément (Fra)
ROLLAND Brieuc (Fra)
GRUEL Thibaud (Fra)

Ineos Grenadiers
BERNAL Egan (Col)
GANNA Filippo (Ita)
KWIATKOWSKI Michał (Pol)
JUNGELS Bob (Lux)
RIVERA Brandon Smith (Col)
SHEFFIELD Magnus (USA)
LANGELLOTTI Victor (Mon)
TURNER Ben (GBr)

Intermarché-Wanty
VAN BOVEN Luca (Bel)
SMITH Dion (NZl)
PETILLI Simone (Ita)
MEINTJES Louis (RSA)
MARIT Arne (Bel)
DE POOTER Dries (Bel)
BONNEU Kamiel (Bel)
ARTZ Huub (Ned)

Israel-Premier Tech
FRIGO Marco (Ita)
RICCITELLO Matthew (USA)
VERNON Ethan (GBr)
RAISBERG Nadav (Isr)
STEWART Jake (GBr)
CÔTÉ Pier-André (Can)
BENNETT George (NZl)
HIRT Jan (Cze)

Jayco AlUla
DUNBAR Eddie (Ire)
O'CONNOR Ben (Aus)
HARPER Chris (Aus)
GAMPER Patrick (Aut)
BOUWMAN Koen (Ned)
FOLDAGER Anders (Den)
O'BRIEN Kelland (Aus)
JUUL-JENSEN Christopher (Den)

Lidl-Trek
PEDERSEN Mads (Den)
CICCONE Giulio (Ita)
HOOLE Daan (Ned)
KRAGH ANDERSEN Søren (Den)
VERONA Carlos (Spa)
BERNARD Julien (Fra)
BAGIOLI Andrea (Ita)
GHEBREIGZABHIER Amanuel (Eri)

Lotto
LIVYNS Arjen (Bel)
VIVIANI Elia (Ita)
SEPÚLVEDA Eduardo (Arg)
SLOCK Liam (Bel)
SEGAERT Alec (Bel)
DE BUYST Jasper (Bel)
GREGAARD Jonas (Den)
CRAPS Lars (Bel)

Movistar
CASTRILLO Pablo (Esp)
GARCÍA CORTINA Iván (Esp)
HESSMANN Michel (Ger)
ROMO Javier (Esp)
ARCAS Jorge (Esp)
CEPEDA Jefferson (Ecu)
CANAL Carlos (Esp)
Aular Orluis (Ven)

Picnic PostNL
KOERDT Bjorn (GBr)
EDDY Patrick (Aus)
HAMILTON Chris (Aus)
LEEMREIZE Gijs (Ned)
MARTINEZ Juan Guillermo (Col)
ROOSEN Timo (Ned)
VAN UDEN Casper (Ned)
VERMAERKE Kevin (USA)

Q36.5 Pro Cycling
PIDCOCK Tom (GBr)
DE LA CRUZ David (Esp)
ZUKOWSKY Nickolas (Can)
AZPARREN Xabier Mikel (Esp)
CAMPRUBÍ Marcel (Esp)
CHRISTEN Fabio (Sui)
GONZALÉZ David (Esp)
HOWSON Damien (Aus)

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
HINDLEY Jai (Aus)
VAN DIJKE Tim (Ned)
PELLIZZARI Giulio (Ita)
ALEOTTI Giovanni (Ita)
SOBRERO Matteo (Ita)
DENZ Nico (Ger)
FISHER-BLACK Finn (NZl)
ZWIEHOFF Ben (Ger)

T-Rex Quick-Step
LANDA Mikel (Esp)
VERVAEKE Louis (Bel)
PARET-PEINTRE Valentin (Fra)
REINDERINK Pepijn (Ned)
LECERF Junior (Bel)
GAROFOLI Gianmarco (Ita)
SCHACHMANN Maximilian (Ger)
VANSEVENANT Mauri (Bel)

UAE Team Emirates-XRG
ALMEIDA João (Por)
SOLER Marc (Esp)
VINE Jay (Aus)
OLIVEIRA Ivo (Por)
GROẞCHARTNER Felix (Aut)
AYUSO Juan (Esp)
NOVAK Domen (Slo)
Bjerg Mikkel (Den)

Visma-Lease a Bike
VINGEGAARD Jonas (Den)
JORGENSON Matteo (USA)
KUSS Sepp (USA)
CAMPENAERTS Victor (Bel)
TULETT Ben (GBr)
ZINGLE Axel (Fra)
KELDERMAN Wilco (Ned)
VAN BAARLE Dylan (Ned)

XDS Astana
HIGUITA Sergio (Col)
TEJADA Harold (Col)
LÓPEZ Harold Martín (Ecu)
FORTUNATO Lorenzo (Ita)
CONCI Nicola (Ita)
MASNADA Fausto (Ita)
VINOKOUROV Nicolas (Kaz)
POELS Wout (Ned)

It’s not easy to reach cycling’s upper echelons, and it’s even harder to stay there. But for the past four years at least, Mads Pedersen has mastered that task.

Wins in all three Grand Tours and big victories in the Classics, the Lidl-Trek rider would almost certainly have several Monuments on his palmarès if it weren’t for Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel, with the Dane having finished on the podium of either Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix in each of the last three years.

“I would say when I won the World Championships [aged 23 in 2019] I still had a lot to improve on, I was still up and down with my form and not there every time like I am now, but in the last four years I’ve been up there and been a lot more steady,” the 29-year-old told Cycling Weekly on the eve of the Giro d’Italia.

What’s the key to Pedersen’s remarkable consistency? Delegating tasks to others. “I have zero problems giving other people responsibilities because I have zero interest in food and nutrition, absolutely nothing. I like food, but that’s as far as my interest goes,” he said. “I have zero interest in knowing how many carbs or whatever, so that’s why I need someone who knows this stuff to tell me what to do and they need to be the best.

“I’m not really a geek who’s looking into stuff, and I have a really good group around me. I believe my coach Mattias [Reck] is the best; I believe Jeroen [Heymans] my mechanic is the best; and my nutritionist the same. These guys are also really pushing their limits, and looking into new stuff.

“It’s easier to give these jobs to someone else and they can tell you what to do. I think that’s important as an athlete that you’re able to do that.

“I think that takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders and allows me to focus on what I am good at, and they can focus on what they’re good at. Like this we create a good mixture of a bike rider.”

Statistically-speaking, Lidl-Trek, headed by Pedersen, were the best-performing team of the spring Classics, even if Pogačar and Van der Poel shared the four Monuments between themselves.

Only three weeks separated the end of Paris-Roubaix and the beginning of the Giro in Albania, enough time for Pedersen to decompress, but not enough to take the gas off the pedal completely.

“I went home to Monaco to spend time together with my wife, and training-wise I didn’t do anything too crazy because the shape was good from the Classics so it was a case of managing it well and not gaining weight,” Pedersen said. “It was actually quite an easy three weeks, enjoying a bit of time with my wife.

“When I deliver [results] it’s easier when I am off to pull the plug completely. ‘Now I’m off, see you guys in three weeks’. And I’m able to do that because I’m not that guy who's always looking into the small details.

“Other riders switch off, but they’re actually still on their computers looking into details, while I’m watching Sex and the City for the fifth time with my wife because she likes to watch it.

“That works for some riders and not for others, but it works for me that I can give away the responsibility with all the stuff I care about but I have no interest in knowing more about. That gives me more time to relax when I have to as I don’t have to think about it.”

This will be Pedersen’s fourth appearance at the Giro, and his first since 2023 when he won a stage to complete the Grand Tour stage trilogy. He demands more victories from himself in the coming three weeks.

“For myself the main goal is to have a stage victory – that’s why I am racing: to win as much as possible,” he said. “If we were to dream high, we would set two stages as the main goal, and then the points jersey would also be nice.

“I have it [the points jersey] from the Vuelta a España [in 2022] so it’d be nice to win it here as well, and to also keep up the good rhythm from Jonny [Milan] who won it for the team last year.

“I was pretty good in the Tour de France last year, as well as the Vuelta some years ago, but with this shape that I have, this for sure should be one of the best versions I’ve had of myself.”

Mathieu van der Poel stormed to a second successive victory at the E3 Saxo Classic on Friday after dropping Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) on the Oude Kwaremont.

Pedersen fought valiantly in his attempts to close down the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider, although the Dane faded as Van der Poel powered on in the grey drizzle of West Flanders and continued his fine early season form after winning Milan-San Remo.

Van der Poel took the win by more than a minute over Pedersen with Ganna securing third, a further minute back on the Dutchman.

Speaking at the finish, the former road world champion hailed the huge effort from his teammates after Alpecin had to dig deep in the early stages in order to keep their key man in the race. “I’m very very happy,” Van der Poel said. “We had quite a tough race for the team, I have to thank my whole team for the amazing job they did today. I was really motivated to finish it off.” An early crash caused chaos in the peloton with Alpecin one of several teams caught out as splits formed.

Van der Poel tracked a move on the Taaienberg from Pedersen with 80km to go, before they were joined by Ganna. Along with the two riders up the road - Aimé De Gendt and Casper Pedersen - they surged on, with little chance of the win coming from behind. The Oude Kwaremont then proved decisive.

“He’s just incredible,” Pedersen said at the finish, describing Van der Poel and his attack on the cobbled climb. “The gap kept extending. It’s impossible to come back from that. On the Kwaremont he made the difference and showed his class again. We wanted to open up the race on the Taaienberg, we talked to the DSes there and decided not to follow but to try it ourselves. It was nice to open up the race, with a smaller group. The shape is there. It was proper racing today, so I’m happy.”

Meanwhile Ganna admitted that his heavier build meant that he simply couldn’t follow when Van der Poel and Pedersen pushed on. “My weight is too high for this climb with these guys. I’m really happy with my performance in the last kilometres (though). I had a fire in the legs and then we were at the top and saw 30km to go, I thought ‘fuck’. It was a really hard race, but I’m happy, the shape is here. I’m not the best rider for the steep climbs.”

How it happened

An early crash sparked panic in the field as splits formed in the race as a result. Wout van Aert and Visma-Lease a Bike and Mathieu van der Poel and Alpecin-Deceuninck were caught out as the race splintered, with the opening 40 kilometres completed in just 45 minutes as Groupama FDJ and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe set an infernal pace at the head of the peloton.

Once the race hit the Kanarieberg the two groups were within touching distance of one another and eventually made contact as the climb progressed. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) launched an attack over the summit of the climb and took Groupama-FDJ’s Stefan Küng with him. Jorgenson’s move didn’t amount into anything with the real action still to come.

With 80 kilometres to go, the speed suddenly ramped up at the front of the peloton, with Lidl-Trek and Ineos Grenadiers driving the tempo into the Taaienberg as rain began to fall. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) used the increased aggression to launch an attack on the cobbles and Van der Poel was the first man able to follow. Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) then bridged across, and the trio then joined the last men standing from an earlier move, Casper Pedersen (Soudal Quick-Step) and Aimé De Gendt (Cofidis), at the sharp end of proceedings.

A six-man chase group soon formed between the five riders up front and the remnants of the main field. Jorgenson was present for Visma alongside Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers), Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek), Tim Wellens (UAE Emirates), Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling) and Küng.

On the Paterberg, Pedersen accelerated hard with the aim of cutting the lead five down; Ganna and Van der Poel were the only men able to keep up. The Oude Kwaremont soon followed, and it was Ganna that began the climb first. Van der Poel took over and caused a split as the cobbles began. The former world champion soon crested the summit and was out of sight, with Pedersen 17 seconds down on him and Ganna a further 13 seconds back.

As the rain continued to fall in West Flanders, Van der Poel tore over the Karnemelkbeekstraat and under the 30 kilometre to go banner with 25 seconds over Pedersen back down the road. The slick roads began to become an issue with the Dutchman nearly losing his back wheel on a wet corner.

Van der Poel, however, held on and won by more than a minute in Harelbeke, with Pedersen taking second and Ganna completing the podium.

Results

E3 Saxo Classic 2025 (208km)

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck, in 4:39:14
2. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek, +1:05
3. Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers, +2:04
4. Casper Pedersen (Den) Soudal Quick-Step, +2:33
5. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Lidl-Trek
6. Stefan Küng (Sui) Groupama-FDJ
7. Aimé De Gendt (Bel) Cofidis, all at same time
8. Tim Wellens (Bel) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +2:35
9. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike, +2:38
10. Mike Teunissen (Ned) XDS Astana, +2:43

A Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) victory might suggest normal scheduling at Paris-Nice, but stage six was far from it, torn apart by echelons, which ended some riders’ GC hopes.

Wind and rain laid waste to the peloton on Friday as it headed towards Berre l’Étang on the Mediterranean coast. Pedersen won the stage from a reduced bunch sprint, contested by the 17 riders who made the front group.

Josh Tarling finished a close second, gaining on the Dane in the closing moments, ahead of fellow Ineos Grenadiers man Sam Watson.

"After such a tough day like today, it’s of course nice to win. It would be a pity to get second or third," Pedersen said.

"No one likes to race in five or six degrees [Celsius] and rain, so it was a tough day. I just don’t care when it’s weather like this, but I really don’t enjoy it. In the end, I enjoy it now after the race, and it’s a victory in the pocket."

Shepherded by his Visma-Lease a Bike teammates, race leader Matteo Jorgenson also finished safely in the front group.

The big GC losers on the day were João Almedia (UAE Team Emirates XRG), winner of stage four, who lost almost two minutes, and Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), stage five’s winner, who lost nine minutes, freefalling out of top five.

Seventh on the day, Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) hopped up to third in GC going into the race's final weekend. "It’s super nice to get a victory with the team, and also Skjelmose moving up in GC. For us this was a perfect day," said Pedersen.

How it happened

Once again, the rain fell on Friday at Paris-Nice, the not-so-aptly named ‘Race to the Sun’. Stage six brought this edition’s longest, at 209.8km, heading to the south coast, over a trio of nondescript category-three climbs.

Groupama-FDJ’s Rémi Cavagna led an early breakaway out of Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban. The Frenchman eventually ended up on his own, dressed in a rain cape and trudging through the wind.

In the second half of the stage, the conditions turned sharply on the racing.

Echelons ripped through the bunch, tearing the peloton into small groups. After a battle for the front of the race, a 17-strong group formed, containing all six of the Jonas-Vingegaard-less Visma-Lease a Bike, and six of the seven Ineos Grenadiers riders.

Six bonus seconds were offered in a sprint with 20km remaining. Shooting out of the front group, yellow-jersey-wearer Jorgenson claimed maximum honours ahead of Skjelmose and Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), both smartly placed at the fore, and earning four and two seconds respectively.

The gap to the peloton then began to grow. By the time the leaders bore down on the final kilometre, their advantage stood at almost two minutes.

Sensing weary legs, and perhaps knowing he was the favourite in the group, Pedersen launched a long sprint, looking to get a jump on his breakaway rivals. Tarling followed, but the line came too soon for the Brit, who shook Pedersen's hand afterwards, a valiant runner-up.

"Tarling is just so strong," the Dane said post-race, shivering in a bulky jacket. "You know never to [count] him out of the race, even in a sprint like this. In the end, I’m just happy that I won. If you win with one centimetre or half a metre, it doesn’t matter."

Paris-Nice continues on Saturday with its penultimate day, a stage shortened to just 109km due to "unfavourable" weather conditions.

Results

Paris-Nice 2025, stage six: Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban to Berre l’Étang (209.8km)

1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek, in 4:25:37
2. Josh Tarling (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
3. Sam Watson (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
4. Axel Zingle (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike
5. Matteo Sobrero (Ita) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
6. Magnus Sheffield (USA) Ineos Grenadiers
7. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek
8. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike
9. Max Schachmann (Ger) Soudal Quick-Step
10. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, all at same time

General classification after stage six

1. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike, in 20:52:57
2. Florian Lipowitz (Ger) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +40s
3. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek, +59s
4. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, +1:20
5. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates XRG, +2:40
6. Tobias Foss (Nor) Ineos Grenadiers, +2:47
7. Magnus Sheffield (USA) Ineos Grenadiers, +2:54
8. Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates XRG, +3:05
9. Clément Champoussin (Fra) XDS Astana, +3:22
10. Harold Tejada (Col) XDS Astana, +3:24

Other than the final ten kilometres or so, is there really any point in watching the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris? That’s the question many of my non-cycling friends have regularly put to me over the years when I would religiously tune in to the final day’s procession into the French capital. And to be fair, they probably did have a point.

There’s rarely any exciting racing in any shape or form until the various sprint teams start to get organised ready to tee up their elected fast man for the bunch kick along the Champs-Élysées for the unofficial sprinters World Championships. Unwritten tradition dictates that the race operates in that way on the final day, but surely a bit of variety could do no harm once in a while.

I’ve often sat and urged someone to try something completely unexpected with the aim of spoiling the party for the sprinters. That’s not because I dislike watching a high-octane sprint unfold, but more because mixing it up a little gets people excited and draws new viewers in.

After all, surely that’s why we all watch sport? To be entertained and to be surprised by what’s unfolding before us. I can remember being completely transfixed as a kid when Alexander Vinokourov won in Paris in 2005, and it would make for great viewing to see another rider pull off something similar in the years ahead.

This is why ASO’s reported idea to adjust the final stage of this year’s race to include the Butte Montmartre cobbled climb, made famous by the Paris Olympics road events, should be applauded, however unrealistic it may or may not be. The possibility of the Olympics circuit within Montmartre being replicated by the Tour was quickly ruled out in August by the Tour’s technical director Thierry Gouvenou, although an article in Le Parisien this week suggested that the idea isn't dead completely.

If it does get off the ground, then it will open the race up to an array of different dramatic possibilities, particularly given the high calibre of riders currently operating at the top end of the sport. But, in spite of the exciting prospect that the idea represents, it also still leaves a lot of questions.

For one, how would the riders final general classification times be calculated and would the stage then no longer be for purely ceremonial purposes? If so, whilst it is unlikely, it could mean that there is a very slim possibility that the action could literally go down to the wire in the fight for overall victory. Surely that alone is a thought that many cycling fans would relish, as would the perennial showman Tadej Pogačar if he finds himself a handful of seconds down on Jonas Vingegaard going into the final day this year.

But on the other hand, completely losing the tradition of a bunch dash for the line on the Champs-Élysées could impact the race in other unwelcome ways. What other incentive would then remain for 95% of the race’s sprinters to finish the event if they didn’t have their opportunity to shine on stage 21?

Sprinting is rapidly evolving and changing. There are multiple riders that now regularly contest the green jersey who could probably use a cobbled climb in Montmartre to their advantage and still win the stage - Wout van Aert, Biniam Girmay and Michael Matthews being three obvious examples, although what would then be left for the more purist sprinters, the likes of Jasper Philipsen, Dylan Groenewegen and others. The answer is not a lot.

Given that riders in that ilk add drama and excitement to the race in different ways to the more Classics-orientated riders and Grand Tour winners, it would be a shame to completely eradicate their final chance for glory and to see a fair few of them abandon early on.

Ultimately, the prospect of change is good and should be applauded. The success of the final stages in and around Nice last year showed that an adaptation to the course, enforced or not, can work for the race in the future. But erasing the possibility of a bunch sprint in Paris should only be brought into play for one year only. It would make for an exciting and interesting final day once, but bringing in a spectacle like that indefinitely to the race could do more harm than it really would be worth.

After recently teasing a new bike on social media during the Giro d’Italia, Lidl-Trek riders have been spotted aboard what appears to be a new edition of the brand’s Madone aero bike at the key Tour de France tune up race, the Critérium du Dauphiné. 

Shots of the bike show the word Madone clearly marked on the top tube. However, Trek is evidently keen to keep the guessing game going, with closer inspection revealing the name Émonda just showing through beneath the white lettering.

Since Trek's climbing focused Émonda hasn't been updated since 2020, whilst the aero Madone had a refresh in 2022, knowledge of cycling's product cycles would suggest the former would be next in line for a renewal. However, when it became clear that a new bike was on the cards, at Cycling Weekly, we placed our bets on a Madone. 

Now that the bike is being ridden at the Tour warm-up race, it looks more and more likely that we're anticipating an aero racer, and perhaps even the end of the Émonda climbing machine.

Other brands, most notably Specialized with the Tarmac SL8, have converged their aero and lightweight bikes, to create one all purpose machine, and it looks as if Trek may be aiming to provide the same for the likes of Mads Pedersen and Tao Geoghegan Hart. 

The new bike still features Trek's 'IsoFlow' tech, a hole in the seat tube which replaced the compliance boosting 'Isospeed' that Trek was so well known for, in the name of improved aerodynamics. 

Of course, it's possible Trek may have applied this tech to its climbing machine. However, the fork legs have a similar depth to the brand’s aero machine and the kink in the downward surface of the bike’s top tube is still present. 

Clearly, whatever name the bike will take, it works - Pedersen rode to victory and claimed the race’s first yellow leader’s jersey aboard the new weapon. 

Having been the source of speculation for several months, it's obvious that this bike is primed to be used by Lidl-Trek riders during the Tour and other major races this season. 

Meanwhile, other brand new bikes have been spotted at the Dauphiné last weekend. This included the new Pinarello Dogma F and a fresh new Canyon Aeroroad. 

Mads Pedersen said that despite being on his best level, there was simply no way of beating Mathieu van der Poel at Paris-Roubaix. 

The Dane was part of the select group that formed prior to Van der Poel launching his Roubaix winning move. But once the world champion took off up the road, Pedersen said there was little he could do to respond. 

"To be honest, I'm really happy," Pedersen said. "Mathieu was in a different league today and the way he was racing was really impressive. For me it's hard to beat Jasper [Philipsen] in a normal race in a sprint so, f**k, magic should happen if I were to beat him in a sprint at a race like today so I'm happy."

"I have zero excuses today," he added. "I was definitely at 100%, I was just beaten by better boys today."

Once Van der Poel took flight on the three star sector in Orchies, Pedersen explained that everyone within the group was fully aware of just how dangerous the move was. Van der Poel rapidly built up his advantage but showed no sign of relenting as the cobbles continued to arrive. 

Pedersen buried himself in an attempt to reduce the deficit but, ultimately, his rivals' attack proved to be simply unanswerable. The Dane explained that once it became clear there was no way the group could bring him back, it then became a tactical game ahead of the sprint for the remaining podium places in the velodrome. 

"At that point everyone was really on the limit so there was not a lot of chit chatting left," he explained. "Everyone was basically going flat out because we wanted to catch him again. At one point when he was just gaining time and gaining time, we were kind of doing a second race behind. 

"We also wanted to reduce the selection in our group and make it smaller and smaller. Everyone was committed and going flat out thinking that maybe he [Van der Poel] has a puncture or whatever, so you never know – the race is not always over when he attacks but then today it was."

"We were still going all out," he added, reflecting on the closing stages of the race. "Philipsen went on the sector after Carrefour l’Arbre and then Kung got dropped so there were only three guys left. From then on, Jasper wanted to pull. 

"At that moment I also knew that Jasper is a tough guy to beat and he also had a few kilometres in the wheel where we were pulling. So, it was also kind of settling in to sprint for third. I knew that Nils [Politt] was on the limit but so was I. But I trusted my sprint enough to know that it was possible to beat Nils at least.

"I think you saw the strongest in my group,” he added. “And then as I said, when Mathieu went everyone was going flat out because you don't want  to give this guy 30 seconds, so we all tried.  But he was just better than us today. I really don't know what else to say because we tried everything we could to beat him but it just wasn't possible."

Pedersen got the better of Van der Poel at Gent-Wevelgem, but he is still yet to better the Dutchman in a Monument. The Lidl-Trek star said he would have to think on a new strategy to get the better of the world champion in a Monument setting in the months ahead. 

"You know at Flanders I think I raced with my head up my own ass,” he said. “Today I tried to do better but as I just said he was impressive, and I just couldn't follow. So, how to beat him in a Monument? I just don't know yet."

Tom Pidcock says he is 'just here to enjoy' his senior debut at Paris-Roubaix and explained that just enjoying the moment is the key to getting the best out of himself on the big occasions. 

Ineos Grenadiers kept their team firmly under wraps until Saturday morning. The team then surprised fans, journalists and everyone else by announcing that Pidcock would be part of their team as a late addition for the Hell of the North. 

Speaking to reporters in Compiègne on Sunday morning, Pidcock said that it was on Tuesday that it was decided he would head to northern France to prepare for the race. He explained that he was still slightly from the crash that forced him out of Itzulia Basque Country but was ready to go nonetheless. 

"I'm fine to be honest," he said. "Ok i've got a bit of bruising on my hip still but as soon as i knew it wasn't serious I was like right, game on and I started training again and was like I want to go and ride Roubaix now.

"For sure it's one of my favourite races… I can't remember a time when I was this excited, so I'm really looking forward to it now."

The Brit wouldn’t be drawn on discussing the team’s plan to take the race to the likes of Mathieu van der Poel and Mads Pedersen, the two favourites for the race. He explained that the unpredictability of Roubaix means that anything is possible once the race gets underway. 

"I'm not really here to tell you how to beat Van der Poel," he said. "It was a last minute thing, I'm here to enjoy it and when I enjoy it, I get the best out of myself and that's how it is. It's not just Van der Poel he might puncture or crash and he might be out of the race in the first 100km so it's not just about one guy."

When asked if there was a particular cobbled sector that he was expecting the race to open up, Pidcock said the weather conditions could mean that the race explodes somewhere unexpected.

"There will be a big tailwind all day," he said. "It's going to be super fast. Of course, some sections could have crosswinds but you never know in this race, it could be anything."

"I'm just looking forward to getting stuck in"

Pidcock is a past winner of Paris-Roubaix Juniors and Paris-Roubaix Espoirs so is fully aware of what he will face out on the road as the race hurtles towards the Roubaix velodrome. 

Due to the late call up, Pidcock explained that he hadn’t had much time to recon the course. He said his initial target was just to get through the first cobbled sectors unscathed. 

"I'm just looking forward to getting stuck in and getting into the last part of the race," he said. "I want to get past this first part of the chaos, anyone can be a victim there of mechanicals crashes, anything. You have to try and beat the course before you try and win the race."

Ineos Grenadiers DS Ian Stannard told Cycling Weekly and others that Pidcock’s presence had lifted the British team’s confidence and belief ahead of the race. 

"I'm really looking forward to seeing him out there," Stannard said. "He's absolutely buzzing about riding the race. He’s added another element to the team, the guys are all buzzing as well so it's just great to have him here and we’re excited."

He added: "He could be the first guy to have all three cobblestones so it could be pretty cool and he could be the first British winner too… It's really good terrain for him out there. He can ride on these cobbles and I'm pretty confident that he can follow all the best guys."

Approaching the Monument which he says suits him the best, Mads Pedersen believes he is in a good position to challenge for Paris-Roubaix victory on Sunday. 

The former world champion was involved in the same brutal crash as Wout van Aert at Dwars door Vlaanderen last week. He was left battered and bruised, but explained that he is almost fully recovered and ready to go again once more on Sunday. 

"I feel pretty good," he told reporters on Friday as he reflected on last weekend's Tour of Flanders. "It's almost a week ago now so everybody is almost ready for the next race. Paris-Roubaix is a completely different race to Flanders, so this will be a different approach also. The main goal would be to make it to the velodrome with the first guys and to fight for the win and don’t let it all out too early.

"We’ve talked about it a lot of times and both Gent-Wevelgem and Roubaix definitely fit me better than Flanders does."

Pedersen is one of a handful of riders with the raw power and ability to be able to attack early in a Monument like Roubaix and then hold it to the finish. He explained that many of his tactical decisions will inevitably evolve on the road, and that reigning champion Mathieu van der Poel was not the only rider he would be focusing on if he makes the final selection.

"It's not a secret that [Jasper] Philipsen is a tough one to beat in a sprint," he said. "So I would of course prefer that he’s not there if he comes in a small group for a sprint. But all this to prefer this, this and this, it's all dream scenarios. 

"The dream scenario will be to finish alone with two minutes and no stress that I can even puncture in the last 20 kilometres but it's not going to happen. So it's really hard to tell you exactly what the nicest thing would be."

The Arenberg chicane

Much of the talk in the build up to the race has focused around the introduction of a chicane into the entrance of the Arenberg cobbled sector. Race organiser ASO announced earlier this week that after consultation with the CPA riders union, the chicane was brought into the course in order to improve safety and reduce rider speed into the sector. 

"It is what it is," Pedersen said. "They took the decision with only asking a few riders and not everyone. Now it's there, and now we have to deal with it. We can't change it anyway, we just have to take this little corner before the Arenberg." 

However, Cycling Weekly understands that Pedersen’s entire Lidl-Trek team were one of the first to make contact with the CPA and race organiser regarding concerns about the sector in question. Pedersen's teammate, Tim Declerq, even told Het Laatse Nieuws that he was one of the first riders to contact ASO. 

Pedersen was not the only one to suggest unhappiness with the chicane. Mathieu van der Poel questioned whether the decision was "a joke" on social media and said on Friday that it was "not the way to go". 

It's understood that sports directors from both riders' teams knew about the introduction of the chicane after a meeting held at the Tour of Flanders, over a week before it was formally announced by ASO, and were briefed in order to make riders fully aware of the change. 

Van der Poel explained that after speaking with Adam Hansen, the CPA president, he was left optimistic that the situation could be further improved in the future but was still not satisfied that the chicane was the best option this time round. 

"I think coming from that direction already is a good solution, actually, from the road to the right," he said. "I've seen it because Adam Hansen texted me afterwards and I saw some options they have for the coming years, which look quite good. 

"But now the chicane, in my opinion, is going to be even more dangerous."

"If you enter it in 20th position, you’ll be standing still and you’ll lose half a minute in the forest. I don't think it's the way to go. "But if the majority of cyclists and sports directors think it's better, I'll join them."

Former world champion Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) outmuscled the current rainbow-jersey-wearer, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), to take his second career victory at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday.

The duo broke free together over the final climb with 35km to go, setting up a two-up sprint at the line. Pedersen launched his dash first, and held off Van der Poel, who bowed over his handlebars in the closing metres, defeated. 

The win marked the Dane's seventh already this year, in what has been a roaring start to the season.

"I had to believe that my sprint was good enough to beat Mathieu," Pedersen said in Wevelgem. "With the shape he has shown lately, it was hard to believe, but I had to try the sprint and nothing else. 

"It was a gamble. I took the front because I knew he would be happy, well, [Alpecin-]Deceuninck would be happy if the bunch came back with [Jasper] Philipsen as well. I had to keep the speed high and hope I still had the legs for a good sprint." 

Pedersen led the charge over the final ascent of the Kemmelberg, Gent-Wevelgem's totem climb, towing the world champion away with him. "Either it was going to be me or Mathieu putting on the pressure there," he said. "If I could control the tempo, and not put myself over the limit, it would be more beneficial for me than letting him do it and maybe put me above the limit."

The duo then swapped through turns to the finish line, holding off the peloton, who stripped their advantage from over a minute to just 16 seconds in the end. 

"This confirms to me that the shape is definitely good," said Pedersen, looking ahead to next Sunday's Tour of Flanders. "I'm definitely confident for the next week."  

How it happened

After rolling out from under the Menin Gate in Ypres, an eight-rider breakaway formed that lasted only to the midway point, before the first of steep hellingen ascents.

In total, the men would tackle nine climbs, including three assaults on the Kemmelberg, whose summit at 154m marks the highest point in West Flanders. 

On the first ascent of the Kemmelberg, with 85km to go, Van der Poel looked to test his rivals. The world champion, who won the E3 Saxo Classic on Friday with a 43km solo, accelerated away from the main pack. His move was followed by 21-year-old Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ) and Lidl-Trek trio Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven and Jonathan Milan, the latter attacking alone over the three gravel plugstreets. 

Milan’s foray lasted around 20km before Van der Poel, Pithie and Pedersen joined him. The Lidl-Trek rider then zipped clear again on the second Kemmelberg test, winding up the pace for his Danish team-mate, before dropping back to the peloton.

Pedersen led over the third and final ascent of the Kemmelberg, tackled from the tougher west side, with pitches at 20%. There, having brushed shoulders with world champions past and present, Pithie lost Van der Poel’s wheel, leaving the duo to jostle for the victory. Honours, in a simple drag race, went to Pedersen. 

Results

Gent-Wevelgem 2024: Ypres > Wevelgem (253.1km)

1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek, in 5:36:00
2. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck, at same time
3. Jordi Meeus (Bel) Bora-Hansgrohe, +16
4. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
5. Jonathan Milan (Ita) Lidl-Trek
6. Olav Kooij (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike
7. Biniam Girmay (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty
8. Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
9. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Jayco AlUla
10. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor Pro Cycling, all at same time

On Saturday morning, Mads Pedersen had time before the start of stage eight of the Tour de France to play basketball with the Dutch YouTubers Tour de Tietema in Libourne. While the likes of Wout van Aert or Mathieu van der Poel prepared on their buses, the Dane was saying "f*** it, we go big", and netting three pointers.

On Saturday evening, Pedersen was basking in the glory of his second Tour stage win, after he beat the race's fastest man - Jasper Philipsen - to victory in Limoges. The Lidl-Trek rider has now won at least one stage at every Grand Tour he has raced since last year's Tour, six in total, confirming his status as one of the nailed-on winners of the sport.

"The boys did such a good job, this final suits me better than other finals," he said. "Those easy days with high speed and fast finishes are not easy for me, but it’s possible for me to aim for the win. Today I showed what happens when I have the power to go for the win. The boys did a perfect leadout in the last five kilometres."

The 2019 world champion might not be the man for the bunch sprints, but has shown that he can beat the fastest in the world when required. Alpecin-Deceuninck's Philipsen had won five sprint finishes at the Tour in a row, so overcoming him is some feat.

Asked when he knew he had beaten the Belgian, Pedersen said: "I was sure when I passed the finish line, my legs were empty in the last 50m. I saw wheels on the left side, I didn’t know it was Jasper, I just saw these white tyre walls, normally a guy from Alpecin or Jumbo, and thought ah s*** now they’re coming, luckily for me his legs were also getting empty the last 50m.

"I am just so happy to win. Jasper came really strong and fast in the end. He also hit the wall in last 50 or 75m."

Not that Pedersen was under much pressure to deliver - he is a proven winner - but there was a special animus to perform at this year's Tour, now Lidl are onboard as title sponsors.

In the context of a sport full of petrochemical companies and sovereign states, the arrival of Lidl was a refreshing one, a reminder that for European companies, sponsoring a cycling team is a worthwhile endeavour.

The name switch happened just before the biggest race of the year, the Tour de France, so Lidl-Trek's funky new jersey has been all over television screens for the past week. While the new colours and the team's stand of Lidl produce outside its bus every day has been causing a stir, there had not yet been the result the new sponsors needed at this race, to really announce themselves in cycling. Saturday's win proved that the men's partnership with Lidl would be more than new colours and marketing stunts.

"The Tour is the biggest race we do during the season," Pedersen explained. "All you guys are here, it’s such a big race, so important for the team, so to win another stage in the Tour is incredible. Even if I didn't get victory in the Giro or Vuelta, it is super nice to win in the Tour. It’s so nice to start this relationship with Lidl in a really good way, open the bank account of victories in a new direction with new sponsors on the jersey."

It is usual for riders to utter banalities about sponsors, but one gets the impression that this Lidl-Trek team is really keen on their new partners; a new injection of cash, a new start. The women's team at the Giro d'Italia Donne went as far as creating the word Lidl out of body shapes, and their first winner, Elisa Longo Borghini, punned that she was a "Lidl emotional" after her stage win there last week.

Pedersen, and his Trek team, will not be content with just one victory at this year's race. Now they've done it once, there is no reason it could not happen again - if not with the Dane, then some of his teammates more suited to climbing.

"For sure there will be a few [more opportunities], but also more breakaway days," he explained. "After the rest day, there are a few days of good opportunities to go on the break. The rest day will not be a real rest day, I will be keeping legs running for stage 10. The pressure is a bit off now, so we will keep trying, keep going for it, we can win some more."

If this was Pedersen with the pressure on, it might be a fruitful remainder of the race for his Trek team now he can relax into his stature as a serial winner at the world's biggest event.

Before the 107th edition of the Tour of Flanders gets underway, three names have been on everyone's lips as the potential winners of this year’s Ronde van Vlaanderen.

Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar.

The same trio looked head and shoulders above the rest of the field at the recent E3 Saxo Classic won by Van Aert, but that doesn’t mean that someone can’t burst from the pack to spring a major surprise in the outskirts of Oudenaarde on Sunday.

As previous editions have taught us, the Tour of Flanders can be a chaotic race, where things don’t quite go as planned. The route and cobbled Bergs occasionally throw up late twists, and sometimes things go right down to the wire as we saw last year.

Ahead of the action, Cycling Weekly has already looked at the five men’s and women’s favourites for the win.

Here are five potential dark horses for the men’s title this weekend.  

Søren Kragh Andersen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

Similarly to Christophe Laporte at Jumbo, Kragh Andersen is the not so secret weapon at Alpecin-Deceuninck, and will provide an excellent foil to Mathieu van der Poel when things get going on Sunday.

While he’s yet to win a major Classic, the Danish rider has consistently been a threat in some of cycling’s major one-day races, including at the past three editions of Milan-San Remo where he’s achieved three consecutive top ten finishes. After finishing fifth in San Remo a few weeks ago, Kragh Andersen managed ninth at the E3 Saxo Classic, before a crash took him out of contention at Gent-Wevelgem.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, the Dane referred to himself as a major “dark horse” for Flanders, and he has past form to back that up. Kragh Andersen won two stages of the 2020 Tour de France, launching powerful long range attacks from a breakaway which nobody could answer.

If Van der Poel is unable to separate himself from Van Aert and Pogačar on Sunday, expect Kragh Andersen to launch a last-gasp move as Alpecin looks to ensure glory at all costs. 

Neilson Powless (EF Education-Easy Post)

America’s Neilson Powless is fast becoming a one day specialist, and has sneaked two top eight finishes in major Monuments in recent years.

Earlier this week he was in the thick of the action during his debut on the Belgian cobbles, taking third at Dwars door Vlaanderen behind a rampaging Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma). Combining Wednesday's result with seventh at Milan-San Remo suggests the form is there.

Former Flanders winner Alberto Bettiol, Mikkel Honoré and Owain Doull will also provide the American with plenty of firepower to keep him in position over the various Bergs along the route, and in contention with the trio of favourites.

If Powless gets the jump on the final ascent of the Paterberg, he could spring a big surprise in the Jumbo-Visma, UAE Team Emirates and Alpecin-Deceuninck camps in Oudenaarde. 

Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious)

Labelling Matej Mohorič as an outsider for Flanders may seem surprising, although the Slovenian is yet to find the form this spring that saw him win Milan-San Remo last year.

The Slovenian has managed some solid results in the Classics this year, but has only managed to break into the top three on one occasion at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Nevertheless, Mohorič has the raw power and strength needed to get over the cobbled climbs that feature in Flanders, and if everything goes to plan, he could well be in contention in the finale.

His best result at Flanders to date is 21st, but if anyone is going to catch out the trio of pre-race favourites, then it's him. 

Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step)

Just like the rest of his Soudal Quick-Step team, Julian Alaphilippe has massively struggled for form this spring, and hasn’t managed to hit his past level which saw him become world champion on two separate occasions.

The Frenchman started in style by winning the Faun-Ardèche Classic, although was unable to kick on from that point. 43rd at Strade Bianche was a huge disappointment, but 11th at Milan-San Remo was a slight progression in form. Throughout recent months, the huge weight of expectation at Quick-Step won’t have helped Alaphilippe, and he’s also had to deal with regular public criticism from Patrick Lefevere. 

Philippe Gilbert, a former Monument winner in the Belgian team’s colours even recently suggested that Alaphilippe could benefit from a move elsewhere to recapture his race winning form.

With all of his doubters circling, Alaphilippe may well come out swinging on Sunday, and look to silence those around him. After his crash when in a race-winning position a few years ago, Alaphilippe has a score to settle with Flanders.

It would be quite something if he was to return to form by winning ‘De Ronde’ on Sunday. 

Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo)

Pedersen and his fellow teammate and Classics star Jasper Stuyven are just two riders who have suffered at the hand of Jumbo-Visma this spring.

Although Pedersen in particular is one rider who the likes of Van der Poel will be wary of, and certainly won’t want with them when the action kicks off in Flanders. Coming into the race, the Dane has accrued two consecutive fifth place finishes at Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen respectively, clearly showing that he has the form to challenge in the upcoming two Monuments.

As a former world champion, and Ronde runner-up in 2018,  he won’t fear the trio of pre-race favourites, nor the tough parcours on the menu. If Pedersen can muscle his way into a select group of leaders on Sunday, he has the raw power and physicality to launch an attack, then see it through to Oudenaarde. 

Who doesn’t love a sprint finish? There’s really nothing quite like them. Filled to bursting point with adrenaline and drama, they’ve got it all. 

The build up and hysteria all starts as the peloton flies into the final kilometres, with teams assembling their lead out trains ready to launch their chosen fast man or woman for a bid at glory. If a breakaway is still ahead then that’s even better for tension. 

In 2022 we saw some brilliant victories from the fast men and women of the sport, and the occasional day when a stage set to be one for them was snatched from their grasp at the last second. Christophe Laporte in Cahors at the Tour de France anyone? 

Some sprinters can go it alone, and outmuscle their rivals single handedly in order to land the prize of a Grand Tour stage win, or a Milan-San Remo title, others wait in the wings, kept safe by their teammates before flying out of the traps like a possessed greyhound when the line is in sight. 

Or if you’re Laporte, you can simply pop up out of nowhere and spoil the party right at the last minute. 

Here are the top six sprinters in 2022 as chosen by us. 

JASPER PHILIPSEN

Belgian rider Jasper Philipsen very nearly took a hat trick of stage wins at the Tour this year. 

The Belgian was constantly in the mix in the opening sprint stages, but then unfortunately spent a few days as the brunt of all the jokes, as he mistakenly celebrated what he thought was a win on stage four, not realising that a rampant Wout van Aert had crossed the line from the breakaway before him. 

However, Philipsen was able to see the funny side and would eventually have the last laugh in France. The Belgian won stage 15 before taking a prestigious victory in the unofficial sprinters world championships on the Champs-Élysées on the final day of the Tour. 

Earlier on in the year he won two stages and the points competition at the UAE Tour. Philipsen will be one to watch in 2023 and will be right in the mix at some of the biggest races. 

ELISA BALSAMO

There was a week in March where Elisa Balsamo seemed unbeatable. In her world champion's rainbow jersey, the Trek-Segafredo rider won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, the Exterioo Classic Brugge-De Panne and then Gent-Wevelgem. A special trio, all Women's WorldTour races.

It didn't last, and Lorena Wiebes (more of whom later) appeared to have the beating of the Italian in tight bunch sprints, but Balsamo still won nine races, including her first two Giro d'Italia stages and one at the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta too. 

Also, she might have lost her rainbow stripes, but she did win the Italian National Championships, meaning she still won't be in a regulation Trek jersey. 

ARNAUD DEMARE

The Groupama-FDJ rider had a sensational year in 2022, capped with a second points jersey victory at the Giro d’Italia. 

On his way to doubling up in the Maglia Ciclamino, the jersey the best sprinter wears at the Giro, Arnaud Démare snagged a hat trick of stage wins on the road in Italy in May. It’s safe to say that with a second sprinters jersey, the Frenchman has been one of the best sprinters at the Giro of the past three years. In 2020, Démare also won the maglia ciclamino, taking four stage victories in the process. 

As well as his achievements at the Giro this year, the Frenchman also won Paris-Tours as well as the points jersey at the Tour de Pologne. 

10th placed finishes at Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem also added to a solid campaign and set of results for Démare. 

FABIO JAKOBSEN

Fabio Jakobsen has had quite the journey over the last three years. 

The Dutchman being back on his bike and racing in 2022 was already an achievement in itself. In 2020, Jakobsen suffered potentially life threatening injuries after a high speed crash at the Tour de Pologne and there were question marks over whether he would be able to return to racing again. 

Fortunately, he bounced back from his horrific injuries in 2021 to win the points jersey and three stages at the Vuelta a España, but this year, he arguably went one better. 

Jakobsen made the headlines before the Tour de France had even begun this year, as he was selected ahead of Mark Cavendish to lead the charge for Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl at the French Grand Tour. But he certainly delivered. 

Jakobsen won stage two of the race in Denmark to cap an amazing eighteen months for the 26-year-old. On top of that, the Dutchman also became European road champion, outsprinting Arnaud Démare and Tim Merlier at the championships in Munich, Germany in August.

LORENA WIEBES

Dutch rider Wiebes continued her journey to the top which has seen her land a dream move from Team DSM to SD Worx for 2023. 

Wiebes took two stage wins at the inaugural Tour de France Femmes this year, and held both the yellow and green jerseys after victory on the opening day. 

Before heading to France, the Dutchwoman took a hat trick of stages as well as the points jersey at the Women’s Tour and won the RideLondon Classique. 

She would then go onto become European female road champion after victory in Munich and also took wins at Ronde van Drenthe and Scheldeprijs. 

MADS PEDERSEN

Former world champion Pedersen has allegedly promised to get the number 13 tattooed on his back if he wins stage 13 at the Giro next year. 

The Danish rider has set himself a bit of a precedent in 2022, winning stage 13 at both the Tour and Vuelta as well as two other stages at the Spanish Grand Tour. You wouldn’t bet against him going all out for that slightly strange goal at the Giro either. 

As well as his Grand Tour success this year, the Dane also landed top ten results at Milan-San Remo, Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders. Expect Pedersen to be right up there at the sharp end in San-Remo again next Spring to get the ball rolling on another successful campaign. 

PRIMOŽ ROGLIČ IS ALIVE AND KICKING

Up until Saturday afternoon, the Vuelta a España was beginning to look like a foregone conclusion. 

Current race leader Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) had appeared to be unbreakable. The young Belgian won the individual time trial in Alicante in style beating Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) by 48 seconds but then Sierra de la Pandera would arrive. 

The weather was scorching hot and the brutal ramps that would take the riders to the top of the mighty mountain began to unfold. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) had already danced away up the mountain but after some sterling work from teammate Chris Harper, Roglič launched a brutal trademark attack that blew his rivals out of the water. 

After initially trying to raise his tempo to answer the Slovenian, Evenepoel would then crack. Glancing over his shoulder to witness the carnage, Roglič then pushed on and would then be joined by Miguel Ángel López (Astana-Qazaqstan). The duo then lifted their infernal pace to head off in pursuit of Carapaz with Roglič not simply satisfied with cracking Evenepoel, he wanted the stage win too. 

The stage win didn’t come on the Sierra la Pandera, although the Slovenian made a huge statement of intent. Aided by Enric Mas (Movistar) he would then carry on his work on Sunday’s Queen stage to the summit of the Alto Hoya de la Mora. Roglič is far from out of this Vuelta yet. 

RICHARD CARAPAZ IS ALL IN FOR THE POLKA-DOT JERSEY 

By his own admission, Richard Carapaz had suffered a disappointing opening week at the Vuelta a España. It would be fair and accurate to say that the Ecuadorian rider had been completely off of the pace on the races’ first mountain stages finishing well behind the other overall contenders for the general classification. 

Carapaz came to the Spanish Grand Tour with hopes of a place on the final podium, even on the top-step, but his opening week performance put him out of contention. Although the reigning Olympic road race champion would come back all guns blazing in week two. 

The Ecuadorian won stage 12 atop Peñas Blancas in style in the type of gutsy performance that Jonathan Vaughters referenced when EF Education-EasyPost announced their recent signing of Carapaz. In style, the 29-year-old aggressively punched clear from his breakaway rivals to storm to victory to prove to the rest of the Vuelta peloton that he won’t get knocked down easily. 

An even more impressive victory would arrive just two days later for the Ecuadorian Ineos Grenadiers star. 

Carapaz was in the breakaway once more on the road to the summit of the Sierra de la Pandera climb. He later explained that he knew the roads up the brutal mountain well after riding them as a first-year professional with Movistar. Knowledge gained from his time with the Spanish team would see him blast to victory with four kilometres to go and power all the way to the line. 

Even more impressive was that he was able to hold off a rampaging Primož Roglič just behind him. Carapaz is just 29 points behind Jay Vine (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in the mountains classification. If the first two weeks are anything to go by, then the battle for the blue polka-dots should be enthralling in the final week.

REMCO EVENEPOEL HAS WORK TO DO

Remco Evenepoel had looked unbreakable at this Vuelta - up until last weekend. 

The young Belgian is well on the way to his maiden Grand Tour victory and it would be quite the step up for the former footballer. Evenepoel won Liege-Bastogne-Liege in stunning fashion in the spring and has since won a second Clásica San Sebastián to continue his superb form.

Questions were raised over whether the Belgian would be able to make the step up and win a Grand Tour this year but so far he has  delivered. Then again, try telling that to Jumbo-Visma and Primož Roglič.

The young Belgian was put under a brutal assault by the Slovenian three-time Vuelta champion on the road to the Sierra de la Pandera and now faces serious pressure in the final week of racing. 

Evenepoel lost his key lieutenant Julian Alaphilippe to injury last week so will now almost certainly need to take a second Vuelta stage win to hold off further time gains by Roglič as the race nears Madrid. 

MADS PEDERSEN TAKES FULL CONTROL OF GREEN 

Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) went close to a stage win on multiple occasions in the opening week of the race. 

After finishing second on stage four, the Danish rider promised that he and the team were gunning for stage wins at the Vuelta as well as the green jersey. He would soon prove to be true to his word. 

Pedersen’s life was soon made a lot easier by Sam Bennett being forced out of the race due to a positive Covid test. In impressive style, the Dane would then pull off a remarkable breakaway effort on the mountainous stage eight to take over the lead in the points competition. 

The Dane admitted afterwards that he felt supremely confident in his abilities and that he was always in control over his breakaway compatriots. 

Pedersen said: “He said: “For them they could have tried to do the sprint but I’d have won it anyway. They just gave it to me. I also didn’t sprint on the top of the climbs to try to get mountains points, it wouldn’t make sense for me.

“I think it’s like a general respect for everyone. They didn’t need the points, I needed them so it was easier just to give it to me.” 

Earlier this summer the 26-year-old won stage 13 at the Tour de France. There was then perfect symmetry at the Vuelta as Pedersen finally grabbed his stage win on the road to Montilla on stage 13 to give him an almost unassailable lead in the points competition. 

MAS FINALLY STARTS TO UNLEASH GRAND TOUR WINNING POTENTIAL

Enric Mas (Movistar) is currently well on the way to matching his best ever results at a Grand Tour. 

For years now the Spanish rider has shown bucketful's of promise and has been widely tipped to succeed Alberto Contador as the next Spanish Grand Tour winner. Unfortunately for Mas being compared to a rider of the status of Contador will have added huge amounts of pressure from the world of Spanish cycling. 

Up until recently Mas has never quite lived up to the early potential that drew that big comparison and talk of overall victory. Although his repeated attacks at this year's Vuelta show that it could potentially finally be about to change. 

The Spaniard sits just over two minutes off of the red jersey. 

Mas has finished second at his home Grand Tour in 2018 and 2021 but for the first time ever, the top step of the Madrid podium seems within his grasp. The 27-year-old Spaniard has kept firmly in touch with both Evenepoel and Roglič and took significant time back to Evenepoel on the Queen stage in the Sierra Nevada. 

If Mas can grab a stage win for Spain on one of the final summit finishes then Grand Tour success could finally be his. 

13 is unlucky for some, but not for Mads

It was on stage 13 of this year's Tour de France, into Saint-Étienne, that Mads Pedersen secured his first Tour, and Grand Tour stage win in the process. Seven weeks later, almost to the minute, and the Trek-Segafredo rider won stage 13 of the Vuelta a España into Montilla. The number might be unlucky for some, but clearly not Pedersen, as he stormed to victory up the final punch, leaving his rivals in the dust. Friday night's alright for winning.

2022 has been the Dane's most successful year yet, with seven wins, as he delivers on the promise that he so clearly showed when he won the World Championship road race in Yorkshire in 2019. Picking his moment to launch, Pedersen's acceleration in Montilla was such that his rivals were barely in the picture when he crossed the line.

Aged 26, it was time Trek puncheur finally started consistently picking up the big wins everyone knew he was capable of. Thanks to Friday's victory, he is the first rider this year to win stages at two Grand Tours, and now has an almost unbeatable lead in the points classification at the Vuelta.

His advantage over Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) in the running for the green jersey? Just the casual 151 points. of course, he has been helped by the absence of Sam Bennett, but his ability to pick up points consistently means he was always likely to be favourite for this competition. If he keeps this up, he might well be the perfect challenger for Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) at next year's Tour.

Second tier sprinters are not particularly impressing

Friday's stage was not a favourable one for the pure sprinters, with the kick to the line favouring a punchier rider, like Mads Pedersen. Yet it said something that the Dane was able to win it at a canter, with clear air between him and the man in second, Bryan Coquard (Cofidis).

It has not been a good race for the second-tier of sprinting, potentially because of the severe lack of bunch finishes, but when they have got their opportunities, few have delivered. Kade Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco) won stage 11, but Sam Bennett won two comfortably - with Pedersen in second, incidentally - before he was sent home with Covid. 

Between the others, like Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates), Coquard and Dan McLay (Arkéa Samsic), little has been seen. Given the chance away from other options, like Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who aren't at this race, the riders present haven't impressed.

Add to this the lack of competitors to Pedersen, like Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) and Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ) thanks to Covid, the fast finishing field at this Vuelta has been uninspiring.

Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) finished in the top five once again, further underlining the great season he's having. Incidentally, the man in second when Pedersen won in Saint-Étienne? Yep, it was Wright.

An easy day for Remco in Andalusia

Imagine, just for a second, the pressure that must be on Remco Evenepoel's shoulders. The Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider is Belgian, something that is not unusual in the sport of cycling, but it is when it comes to leading Grand Tours in the modern age. Not since 1978 has someone from the cycling-mad, well, cycling-insane country won a three-week race - that was Johan De Muynck at the Giro d'Italia, incidentally - a casual 44 years ago. 

The 22-year-old is only at his second Grand Tour, after disappointing at last year's Giro, and has a lot of expectation foisted upon him, from his home press, from the fans, and also himself. He has already done a lot, winning 34 races across his youthful career, but this is the big next step. There are many Remco sceptics out there, and in leading this Vuelta for over a week now, I'm sure he is proving some people wrong.

Therefore, with the weight of a nation on him, it must be quite nice to have a relatively relaxing day like Friday. A nice trundle through Andalusia is exactly what he would have wanted ahead of some tougher tests, with back-to-back summit finishes coming this weekend.

A doomed breakaway reunites some old companions

Remember when the Vuelta was in the Basque Country? No, I don't really either. However, just a fortnight or so ago, the breakaway pair of Joan Bou (Euskaltel - Euskadi) and Ander Okamika (Burgos-BH) were together on the road to Laguardia. Together with Julius van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost), who has spent over 400km in the break at this Vuelta, they made a predictable combination.

What do you reckon the trio chat about when in the break? Is there any sense that the move could make it to the finish? Possibly, they reminisce about the good old days when being in the day's escape was a bit of a novelty rather than being the monotonous task it has now come. Of course, it's possible that Bou and Okamika don't speak English, and Van den Berg doesn't speak Spanish, so it might have been a very dull day out for the latter.

There weren't even any KoM points on offer on Friday, so one assumes that the three in the break knew they were just up the road for... being up the road's sake.

You can have Covid but still be high up on GC

Ahead of stage 13, the news broke that Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) had tested positive for Covid, but was judged to be not contagious enough to be forced to withdraw. This seems like a sensible move - if one is asymptomatic and not spreading the virus, why should one leave the race - but it has created an intriguing situation.

The 19-year-old Spaniard is fifth on general classification at his maiden Grand Tour, a position he will be keen to hold onto, but is surely going to be put under pressure in the coming days, now his rivals know for a fact he is ill. There is no guesswork or vibes at play here, a full on press release has announced to the world that the man in fifth place is under the weather, so perhaps this is something that will be seized upon by the men around him.

There was no evidence of people around him in the peloton moving away from the positive case, but it will hardly help the blood pressure of the hypochondriacs in the bunch. It will be interesting to see how long he lasts, and how he battles on.

Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) finally took the lead in the points classification on stage eight of the Vuelta a España.

After finishing second on stage four, Pedersen made his and his team's intentions clear as he stated that every day his aim would be to "get the points." 

The Danish rider was then true to his word in the high mountains on stage eight. 

Pedersen was a key component in the day's breakaway that featured climbers of the calibre of Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious), Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) and eventual stage winner Jay Vine (Alpecin-Deceuninck). 

Once he had ensured that he took the maximum points on offer at the intermediate sprint point, Pedersen sat up ahead of the summit finish on the Colláu Fancuaya and waited for the peloton.

His breakaway compatriots were clearly more than willing to allow him to take the sprint points available but Pedersen explained afterwards that any attempt to beat him would have been in vain. 

He said: “For them they could have tried to do the sprint but I’d have won it anyway. They just gave it to me. I also didn’t sprint on the top of the climbs to try to get mountains points, it wouldn’t make sense for me.

“I think it’s like a general respect for everyone. They didn’t need the points, I needed them so it was easier just to give it to me.” 

Reflecting back on his impressive efforts, Pedersen admitted that his time in the breakaway wasn’t planned before the stage got underway.

He added: “The first climb was a real pain but luckily the legs were good. I managed to be in the first group over the top and the guys started to form the break so I jumped with the other guys. On the downhills I started thinking ‘ok Mads maybe it would be a good idea to go for the 20 points later on’ but it wasn’t easy.” 

Earlier this week the 26-year-old confirmed to Cycling Weekly that he will miss the upcoming World Championships. 

Now in the green jersey the Dane has a lead of five points over his nearest rival Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) and as the Vuelta progresses he admitted that he will look to target a stage win to cement his advantage in the competition.

“I’m here to get the green jersey now and to take a stage win. I’m pretty sure the goals are achievable for me. If I can get a stage win it will bring a lot of points for me and secure the jersey. I’m just aiming for that now.

"I'm only just ahead and the race is still a long one but we keep fighting and I'll try for more points."

Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) was accepting of a third straight second place on stage four of the Vuelta a España. 

The Danish rider was outsprinted by Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) on the final ramp to the line but showed he is carrying impressive form as the race returned to Spanish soil. 

After being well positioned by his teammates, Pedersen launched a final move looking to distance his rivals for the stage but he was unable to hold off a rampaging Roglič. 

On missing out to the Slovenian, Pedersen said: “It’s clear he [Roglič] was the strongest and to lose to him on a climb like this is ok. I hoped to do a top 10 so I’m pretty happy with today’s result… I know I can do finals like this. It’s tough in this peloton but if you never try you never win.”

He added: “It was pretty tough on the final climb with 20 kilometres to go. The boys set a good tempo on the bottom so I could survive the steep part. After that we wanted to cruise with the peloton over the top and had a big gear for the downhill so we could really gain speed and follow. Then we just hoped for the best on this final steep part to the finish.” 

The 26-year-old finished second to Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) twice in the Netherlands, clearly demonstrating his versatility on the varied terrain of the first few stages of the Spanish Grand Tour. After picking up more points on the uphill finish, Pedersen now sits second in the points competition just nine from the lead of the Irish rider. 

Stage five to Bilbao will provide another opportunity for the Dane to gather points on a stage where Bennett is unlikely to do well. He admitted that taking the green jersey is a big target for Trek-Segafredo in the coming days. 

Pedersen concluded: “The shape is good and we are really here to win this green jersey. Every day our aim is to get the points so thanks to the whole team, they were really impressive for me today.

There are many anachronisms at the Tour de France. The caravan trundling around France tossing out packets of dried sausage and other bits of detritus; the physical signing on riders have to do ahead of every stage; the pinning of numbers to jerseys, there must be easier ways of identification than paper dossards. Most riders still even share rooms on Tour, bunking up in this age of bubbles and social distancing.

The one that beats of all these though, and is the object of my fascination, is the continued presence of a yellow motorbike with two people on it, also clad head to toe in yellow, one of whom holds a blackboard. 

They are LCL-branded, just like the maillot jaune itself. These are the time gap people, a remnant of an age before race radios and live coverage, who are there to update the break on their advantage.

On a day like stage 13, when the peloton never fully gave up the chase, it was a busy day for the woman with the blackboard, Claire, who had to keep rubbing out her handiwork to replace it with a new time. One moment the gap was just over three minutes, then it was back down to two, then it kept creeping up and down.

I viewed this manic chalk action from the back of another motorbike on Thursday, as I was privileged enough to follow the break on a lumpy long day to Saint Étienne. At no point, inside the race, did I think the break would make it.

But is the time-gap team particularly useful or necessary? One of the riders in stage 13's break, Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious), sadly dismissed the idea that the chalkboard is helpful. 

"Normally we get the information before we get shown the gap," he said. "In other races maybe you don’t get the information as quick, but here you get the info so fast that you know what’s happening before the board comes up. You still look at it though, just in case."

"We have so much info on the radio that the chalkboard is a bit antiquated I think," Joe Dombrowski of Astana-Qazaqstan added.

It is fascinating then, that it continues, just another vehicle in the convoy. It is something for the television, just a part of the Tour de France that cannot be disposed of. Even in this age of near-constant communication, there is still space for a woman with a blackboard.

The blackboard with its enticing time acts as the great star in the sky for the break, guiding them with hope towards the finish. On a day when the peloton does not sit up, and allows the men up the road leeway, it could be key to hope for the best. How can you put all your effort into making a move go the distance if you think it will be brought back?

Matteo Jorgenson of Movistar did not believe the break was going to make it until late on on stage 13, by which time he had already missed out on the win.

"I didn't really believe we would make it, until like 15km to go," the American explained. "They were pulling behind, we had two minutes, and it just didn't feel right. We had a headwind the whole day. I half expected [Mads] Pedersen to just stop pulling at some point, but he went on the attack, really caught me off guard, and I was kinda watching [Filippo] Ganna...

"We were super stressed the whole day. We were never given any leash, we never slowed down or anything. I didn't have time to talk between getting bottles for myself."

"The whole time we were getting calls on the radio that a different team was riding, and there wasn’t one point where all four sprint teams were riding," Wright said. "We kept plugging away, and the way Quinn Simmons was riding on the climbs, if I was a sprinter I’d be getting dropped at this point. It was when it went to three minutes that I thought it was sorted."

Every time you jump to get in a break, you must think it could succeed surely, otherwise what would be the point in wasting all that energy. Even if you are a B&B Hotels-KTM or TotalEnergies riders on a bunch sprint day, you still must believe in the possibility of success. If not, why try.

On lumpy days where the break probably will succeed, that fight to get into the move is one of the hardest parts of the day. To watch this happen in real time is incredible, as the bunch surges, strings out, tries to control things and fails. There is attack after attack, and sometimes it is down to sheer fortune rather than form.

"It depends a lot on the start," Dombrowski explained. "If you start on a long climb it's a lot more about legs than it is about luck. If it's a flat start on a big road, for sure you need the power, because the speed is going to be high. also there is going to be an element of luck, because you can't go every time.

"When there's a big road the peloton can't block the road, so it can carry on for an hour or two. If it's a day you want to be in a break, the key is to look at VeloViewer. Climbs, places where gaps can be established. It's a little bit of art, a little bit of luck. It depends on the stage.

"What do you have to lose. You spend a lot of energy, if you're tired you drop, and no one cares."

The break might not succeed all the time, but when it does it is special, especially when it's on a day when the peloton don't give up. It gives riders hoping to go up the road later more hope, adds chaos to the race. You've just to keep believing.

Also, remember, whatever you do, keep checking the time on the blackboard. That's a lot of work put into a pointless exercise.

Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) bemoaned the lack of sprint opportunities at this year’s Tour de France after Lotto Soudal missed out on a victory again on stage 13. 

The stage was won by Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) from the breakaway, after he outsprinted Great Britain’s Fred Wright and Hugo Houle (Israel-Premier Tech) in the final kilometre. 

Earlier on in the stage, Australian sprinter Ewan suffered a heavy crash after appearing to touch wheels with a teammate as they rounded a tight left hand bend. Ewan, complete with a nasty gash on his right elbow, looked visibly shaken as he struggled to get back to his feet and had to be assisted by Lotto-Soudal staff.

The Australian was left clutching his left knee, which was also cut, for a few minutes before eventually re-mounting his bike and attempting to re-join the peloton. 

After crossing the finishing line on a blisteringly hot day, Ewan  said: “I felt really good today actually. That’s why we started to commit our guys to controlling the breakaway and they were doing a really good job. They never got too far ahead, but yeah, I don’t know what happened in the corner.” 

He added: “My knee is really sore and my shoulder is pretty sore. I broke my collarbone last year, so hopefully that’s alright. Once I went down I didn’t feel so good anymore, and after a big chase to get back on before the final climb, I had nothing left really.” 

Just two stages this year have ended in a bunch sprint. Stage two was won by Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange-Jayco) was victorious on stage three. 

Ewan explained that at this point in the race, opportunities are running out for the pure sprinters. 

He said: “It’s stage 13 now and we’ve only had two bunch sprints. So yeah, it hasn’t been a great Tour for the sprinters. We saw today as an opportunity and we tried to take it, but yeah, bad luck again.” 

The Lotto-Soudal sprinter has suffered severe crashes before in his career. 

Earlier this year, Ewan competed in the Giro d’Italia and labelled this year's edition as “the Giro from hell.” 

Ewan suffered a crash on stage one of the race and continued to deal with the after effects of that throughout the Italian grand-tour. He later abandoned the race and did not start stage 12. 

Admitting that he was on a run of bad luck, Ewan said: "I feel like I need to catch a break with my luck. It is what it is, and it's part of being a cyclist. Sometimes you have a run of bad luck and I'm having that now but hopefully it turns soon."

Sunday’s stage into Carcassonne could give the sprinters another chance before Paris. Stage 19, which finishes in Cahors, is also an opportunity for a sprinter, although with Wout Van Aert, Jakobsen and Groenewegen all showing good form in this year's Tour de France, Ewan’s path to the stage win he craves is far from clear. 

174.29 million people live across France, Spain and Italy, the countries that host cycling's Grand Tours, three of the traditional heartlands. These three countries have won no stages at this year's Tour de France, in the 13 so far. Just 5.83 million live in Denmark, but the nation has won three stages at this year's Tour, and currently holds the yellow jersey through Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).

In fact, Mads Pedersen's sprint to victory on stage 13 was the third Danish victory in four days, after Magnus Cort won in Mégeve on stage 10, and then Vingegaard won on the Col du Granon, taking the race lead with it. Let's not forget Cort's days in the polka dot jersey either; this could be the Tour de Denmark.

The trio might not have won in their home country, which hosted this year's Grand Départ, but they clearly took energy from it and have performed incredibly well at this year's race. This really is the new golden age of Denmark.

"It’s absolutely incredible of all the Danish," Vingegaard said post-stage. "Three stage wins, so of course it’s super super nice. I’m happy for Mads that he won today, and it’s always big to win a stage. I won the other day my first one, which was super big for me. This is nice for him."

It is obvious just how popular cycling is in Denmark, just step out into any road and get shouted to move by a cyclist in a well-built bike lane. The Tour presentation in Copenhagen a fortnight ago, and the reception the peloton received in the country across three stages, should have been proof enough at the sport's popularity. But still, their riders are outperforming traditional countries, showing them how it is done.

"We felt a lot of support already in Denmark, and also here in France," Pedersen said in his press conference. "It’s really crazy to see all the Danish people. The Tour puts four or five stages that suit the Danish people so good, which I think is more luck than anything else. It also shows me have a good mix of cyclists in Denmark. It’s crazy that we have three wins in such a short space of time."

Asked where this success is coming from, particularly for a small country which until very recently failed to make much of an impact on the world stage, the 26-year-old spoke of the support that riders get in the country.

"All the hard work from local clubs, junior teams, people who are doing this for free to help talent," he explained. "The national team, continental teams, all this work is paying off now. For so many years It was working well in Denmark, with all this support, and now we have a generation that’s achieving things, and showing off on the biggest stage. Huge thanks to everyone supporting us. Let’s just hope people will keep supporting talent."

Denmark might be seventh on the UCI's country ranking, something Pedersen told journalists to go and look at - he said it was "out of his pay grade" to judge nations = but it feels like it is punching well above this at the moment. 

There's no reason to think that Vingegaard could not win the Tour, with it Denmark's first since 1996, or that any of the nine Danes left in the race could win another stage; although it would be likely to be one of the three who have already won, rather than another.

Pedersen attacks to victory, rather than waiting for sprint

Pedersen has come close at the Tour before, finishing second twice on stages in 2020, and third once at this year's edition, but finally broke through on Friday, to complete a dream week for his Scandinavian country.

"It’s really big. It’s a relief," he explained in his post-stage press conference. "I was working hard this season to be the best possible, especially with the start in Denmark. I didn’t have the win in Denmark like I dreamed about, but now the win is here. I’m so happy for me but also the whole team."

It feels like a lifetime ago that he was world champion, it coming at a rainy Yorkshire edition in 2019, months before the pandemic kicked off. Since then, he has matured as a rider, and kept picking up wins; this was his sixth this season.

However, it was not won in the manner that was expected. Rather than waiting for the sprint with the break, in which he surely he would have been the fastest, the Dane attacked with 9km to go, bringing only two riders with him. He then won the sprint from this group.

"I knew I would be the fastest one in the sprint, but to control five other guys it’s never easy," Pedersen explained when asked about this decision. "I wanted to get away with as few as possible. It split up half half, and it was easier to control two guys rather than five guys."

There was only one team to have two men in the break of six: Trek-Segafredo. They used their numbers wisely, with Quinn Simmons burying himself for his teammate, falling away on the final classified climb of three on Friday.

"Quinn definitely played a big part of today," Pedersen said. "I was in a big break in the beginning, but with 20 guys it’s difficult with everyone to turn. The moment they caught us, Quinn went straightaway again. He was pulling longer and harder than I did, especially on the climbs, he took a lot of time on the peloton. He was a big part of today, big thanks to him."

The rest of the race could bring more success for him now he has got over the line first once; there are multiple upcoming stages that suit a punchier rider like him over the pure sprinters, and it is possible he could win a bunch sprint anyway.

"I learned from home to have a lot of confidence, and I also think I started this morning with a lot," Pedersen concluded. "Definitely it gives a boost for the next days, and we will see how we are going to do the next two days."

Mads Pedersen sprinted to victory out of a reduced bunch in Dun-le-Palestel on stage three of Paris-Nice.

The Trek-Segafredo rider was piloted in expertly by his teammate Jasper Stuyven, and despite the best efforts of Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), he stayed in front to secure the win.

Many of the bigger sprinters failed to stay in the peloton so could not contest the finish, with Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) among those being dropped.

Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) remains in the yellow jersey, despite a crash in the final 500m, but is now trailed by Van Aert by just one second due to the bonus seconds gained. The top three is completed by their teammate Primož Roglič, who is nine seconds behind.

Pedersen's victory was his first at WorldTour level since Gent-Wevelgem in 2020, and the first WorldTour win for Trek-Segafredo since Bauke Mollema won at the Tour de France last summer.

How it happened

Tuesday's stage headed mainly south as Paris-Nice continued its journey towards the Côte d'Azur.

The early break consisted of Owain Doull (EF Education-EasyPost), Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM) and breakaway specialist Thomas de Gendt (Lotto-Soudal).

With 100km to go the gap between the break and the peloton stood at about five minutes, but this gradually started to decrease as the race headed towards the day's categorised climbs.

De Gendt took the points on both the Côte d'Éguzon and the Côte de Crozant, to ensure that his teammate Matthew Holmes continued his run in the King of the Mountains' jersey.

Ahead of the Côte de Le Peyroux, some big sprinters were dropped from the bunch including yesterday's winner Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Dylan Groenewgen (BikeExchange-Jayco) and Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Søren Kragh Andersen (Team DSM) briefly attacked out of the bunch with 32km to go, but was brought back with 27km. Shortly after the break was caught, with teams including Cofidis and Jumbo-Visma pulling.

With 18km to go there was a brief general classification battle as some team leaders attempted to collect bonus seconds at the final intermediate sprint. Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) took three bonus seconds ahead of Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), to claw back some time in the overall standings.

Kragh Andersen attempted to escape up the road again with eight kilometres to go, but again he was brought back by the bunch who were hoping to set up the race for what was left of the sprinters.

Movistar were working hard for their fast man Iván García Cortina with their four members left with 3km to go, before others including DSM and Trek-Segafredo took over.

The final two kilometres were quite messy with few teams having sufficient riders to control the sprint. Loïc Vliegen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) sought to take his sprinter Biniam Girmay to the line, but he was quickly overtaken by Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) who provided the perfect leadout to his teammate Mads Pedersen.

Behind, Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) was taken into place by the yellow jersey, Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), but could not match the speed of Pedersen. Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) looked to be gaining on the Dane, but ran out of room on the road.

After completing his leadout duties, a crash left Laporte on the floor, but he crossed the line in the same time as the rest of the bunch to continue his run in the yellow jersey.

Tomorrow, the race heads to Domérat for a 13.4km time trial that should shake the general classification up.

Results: Paris-Nice 2022, stage three, 190.8km

1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, in 4-23-29
2. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Cofidis
3. Wout van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma
4. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
5. Anthony Turgis (Fra) TotalEnergies
6. Biniam Girmay (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert
7. Fred Wright (GBr) Bahrain-Victorious
8. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe
9. Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
10. Juan Sebastián Molano (Col) UAE Team Emirates, all at same time

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE THREE

1. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Jumbo-Visma, in 11-34-44
2. Wout van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma, at 1s
3. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at 9s
4. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, at 29s
5. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Cofidis, at 33s
6. Pierre Latour (Fra) TotalEnergies, at same time
7. Zdeněk Štybar (Cze) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, at 38s
8. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo, at 39s
9. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-Hansgrohe
10. Florian Sénéchal (Fra) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, all at same time

It would be a "mistake" to only focus on Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel as the riders to beat, Mads Pedersen has said.

Speaking from Trek-Segafredo's  training camp, the Danish rider said that there were "plenty of good riders in the peloton", and that if "you always look at other guys when you're racing you're always one step behind".

The former world champion said: "I do not see them as the only guys to beat. You see Van der Poel, he was full in the final of Roubaix, but still [Sonny] Colbrelli is beating him fair and square. They are not the only two guys we have to take into account when we are racing. It's not only those two we have to look at, there are plenty of good riders in the peloton and for the classics. 

"For me it would be a mistake to only look at those two. Of course, I would agree that they are the two biggest stars in cycling right now, but that's not only because they are good in the classics, it's because in general they are f***ing good bike riders."

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Pedersen won three races in 2021, including Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne on opening weekend, but none at WorldTour level. He describes his season as being full crashes: "From Dauphiné to Roubaix it was mostly crashes. I will mostly remember the crashes of 2021."

He will begin his season at the GP Marseillaise and Etoile de Bessèges, but will skip opening weekend this year due to Paris-Roubaix being later in the year than usual. 

"Roubaix is a week further out, and my coach and the team thought it would be a good idea," Pedersen explained. "They have a big master plan, I just follow that, and hopefully that's a good thing to do for the main goals of Flanders and Roubaix."

The French monument is a race the Dane has spoken of targeting in the past, and it is no different for 2022, with it being one of his central goals of the season. The next edition will be the fifth time he has raced it, and Pedersen said that he is learning from his previous attempts at the Hell of the North.

"Every time I do it I'm getting further and further in the race," he said. "I'm gaining more experience. The way to save energy in the right ways at the beginning and so on. Every time I do the race, if I crash or not, I'm gaining new experiences and learning new things. Hopefully that will help this time."

His teammate Jasper Stuyven claimed Trek-Segafredo's biggest win of the season of Milan-San Remo in 2021, and Pedersen believes that the pair can dovetail to produce more big results in coming years.

With another duo, there might be the chance of a clash between the two champions, especially as they both aim to succeed in similar races. The former world champion does not believe this is the case with him and his Belgian teammate, however.

"Me and Jasper, we are really good friends and we have always been. We clicked and we were good friends from the beginning," he said.

"The main thing for us is that we should be 100% honest with each other. If I have a really good day and he can see it, 100% he would leave his own chances out and help me, and the opposite way round of course. 

"We are good with each other because of our friendship, we are honest with each other, and we trust each other when the other one is saying 'I am really good today, I can do something nice'. That's really beneficial when you have two big egos on a team who want the same thing."

The 2022 Tour de France begins in Copenhagen, and stage two will pass 150m from where Pedersen lives, so he said it would be "crazy" to not focus a bit on the opening day time trial prologue.

"I'm not a favourite at all for the prologue, but I know I can do a good one," he explains. "Hopefully I can surprise and do a really good prologue on the first day in Copenhagen. I want to be in the mix of being close to the winner, and then maybe on the Roubaix stage I can claim the yellow jersey, and maybe a stage win as well. That would be a dream scenario for the rest of the season."

It will be the first time the Tour has visited Denmark, and Pedersen thinks it will be "huge", due to the numbers of Danish professionals in the peloton, and also the popularity of the sport in the country.

He said: "It's nice to be in front of your home crowd, and hopefully we will see a lot of people on the road. Cycling is really big right now, not just with professional riders, but with commuters and tourists, it's getting bigger. It's going to be huge for us."

Stage two sees the peloton cross the 16km-long Great Belt bridge from Zealand to Funen, which has created speculation about the affect of crosswinds on the peloton. Pedersen played down these hopes, however.

"200 days a year if not more we have the wind from the west. We are going straight west over the bridge," he said.

"It looks nice on paper, and everyone will be hoping for the wind from the north and the south, then it would be a big casino on the bridge. If it's from west as normal we will have full headwind for 20km."

On a separate topic which is engaging the world of professional cycling at the moment, the Trek-Segafredo rider said that he did not care about people using ketones. 

Romain Bardet and Arnaud Dèmare have been among the riders who have called for a ban on the chemical, but Pedersen said that it was "fair enough" if people used it. The Dane did say that he did not take them because he did not like the taste, however.

"I really don't care if people are using ketones or not, it's their decision. I don't see it as a problem, it is a natural product in your body. If people want to use it, fair enough. I have no clue how it works, I just know it tastes like shit and I know that's enough for me not to use it. It's legal, and it's not up to me to make it illegal"

Mads Pedersen has said that he would be "happy to try Paris-Roubaix in the wet once" as the weather forecast looks like rain is set for race day on Sunday.

The Trek-Segafredo team comes into the 'Hell of the North' with two potential winners in Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven.

Pedersen comes into the race after crashing at the World Championships in Leuven, Belgium, whereas Stuyven just missed out on the medals in his hometown, taking fourth.

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After their final recon of the route, Pedersen spoke about his chances with the poor weather after taking his world title in awful conditions in Yorkshire 2019: "Of course I like the rain, I’ve said 1000 times before I don’t mind racing in the rain and I have the same mentality for Sunday."

The 25-year-old Dane spoke how luck was as important as skill at Roubaix, due to other riders making mistakes and crashes also a major threat to a rider's chances too.

“It’s a special race to do in the rain and for me, I don’t mind," Pedersen said. "I’m happy to try Roubaix in the wet once. But we’ll see if it’s going to rain."

When Stuyven was asked about riding in the wet on the cobbles he agreed with Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), who said if someone crashes you have "nowhere to go,"

Stuyven said: "I think that’s the perfect answer that I 100 per cent agree with and maybe what makes the race a bit more tricky as it’s not all in your hands. 

"The guy in front of you makes a mistake and you brake it’s not going to end up well if you have to go on the side of the cobbles as it's really hard to come back on, so yes that does make it maybe more frustrating knowing you can’t really do anything."

There has been a lot of excitement from fans for a possible first wet Paris-Roubaix since 2002, but there has been a mixed reaction from the pros. Pedersen wasn't happy with those worried about safety.

"Ah safety reasons… Come on!" he said. "We’ve all seen the cobbles with mud on before, it’s not an easy race and of course it’s dangerous. It’s not normal terrain for bikes on cobbles like this, so it will always be dangerous. 

"That’s how it is. We’re getting paid to do that. Some guys are not looking forward to it because they don’t like the rain but I don’t see it as more dangerous than other years. We just need to take into account that there will be mud and the stones may be wet."

When asked if they would watch the women's Paris-Roubaix and give advice to the women's side of Trek-Segafredo, Pedersen said they would be happy to give advice. While they won't be sat down watching they will have it on in the background as they prepare for their big day the day after.

Paris-Roubaix's race for the men takes place on Sunday, October 3 with the women the day prior on October 2 with both expected to be damp and full of action.