"I know it would be on the limit, if not over the limit" - Mads Pedersen on winning opening stage to Rimini

Can we count Mads Pedersen among favourites for the opening stage of this years Tour de France? Many have wondered whether the hard stage from Florence to Rimini won't be a bit too much for the former world champion. According to the Dane, he's interested, but it'll be up to other teams how the stage plays out.

Pedersen confirmed the stage is on the radar, but said his fate will depend on what UAE and their leader Tadej Pogacar have in mind. Though his climbing is better, he’s still no match against the Slovenian when he full sends it uphill.

"It makes no sense not to try," the Lidl-Trek rider told Velo. "For me to win it really depends on how the other teams want to race that last climb. It’s in their hands if I make it or not. If UAE go full on the bottom to the top, I will not survive," Pedersen admitted. "I know it would be on the limit, if not over the limit. Everything has to play in our favor."

Pedersen did everything in his power to get in fortune's favor, even losing a bit of weight ahead of the Tour. This should help him in the battle for Green jersey, where he'll have to find his inner Peter Sagan to give the pure sprinters a run for their money. "I know Jasper is a faster sprinter than me," he said. "I will try to grab as many points as possible to stay in the game. It also comes with winning as many stages as possible."

Victories are the easiest way to snag points, but consistency keeps a rider within range of the points jersey. "You have to be up there in every sprint," he said. "Last year, I was eighth or 10th in a lot of sprints, and that’s not enough. I have to be in the top 5, the top 3 in every sprint we do to get into the mix of the green jersey."