It was a hectic but unfortunately bitter finale for us at #VCV2023. Rui Costa wins the stage with enough gap to win also the GC. At the end, @giuliocicco1 finished 2nd
"I think we can be proud of ourselves": Mads Pedersen happy with his win and team performance despite Mattias SKjelmose losing the overall on the last stage for just 1 second
CyclingSunday, 05 February 2023 at 18:03
Mads Pedersen won the closing stage of Étoile de Bessèges, the Dane of Trek-Segafredo was the fastest in the 10.6 km time trial that ended in a 2.6 km climb in Alés. Last year he finished 2nd in this very same time trial and this time proving that Pedersen is always a favourite for this type of stages, specially in the begging of the season.
"It's nice to start the season well. I was close to victory on the first stage, and it feels good to win a time trial. It has not happened to me for years. The last time I think it was at the Tour of Denmark in 2018. . It confirms that I like short time trials and the beginning of the season. For me, it is a good combination. The final climb is good here", he stated in a press conference after winning the stage.
Still, not all was celebration since his teammate and fellow countrymen Mattias Skjelmose lost the overall classification of the race for just one second to Neilson Powless of the EF Education-EasyPost team.
"We had a good race overall, we have our stage wins at least. It would have been nice for us and for Mattias (Skjelmose) to win the overall, but it's down to one second. We can't do anything. Neilson Powless is very strong at the moment. I think we can be proud of ourselves. Yesterday (Saturday), EF Education started edging and we just joined them. When you have your rider for the overall and three other guys in the front group, there is only one thing to do: work like crazy. I think it worked for us", stated Pedersen.
Mads Pedersen showed good shape during Étoile de Bessèges, the Dane not only won a stage but was also one of the key riders of the team during these 5 days, working for his teammate Skjelmose and sprinting against De Lie on the first stage. Now the Dane looks for Paris-Nice.
"My legs are at the level I wanted them to be, so it's fine. In the next few weeks, I'm going to a training camp and my next race will be Paris-Nice. It's not really a goal, but it will prepare me for the next stage" he concluded.
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