"Jasper Philipsen’s got massive stones – he dares to go that close to the barriers" – Mads Pedersen stunned by rival's bravery in La Vuelta sprints

In the white heat of the Stage 8 sprint finale at the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, it was Jasper Philipsen who once again proved why he’s regarded as one of the most dangerous finishers in the peloton. The Belgian rocketed through a sliver of space tight against the barriers to claim the win — and earned a rare mix of admiration and frustration from rival Mads Pedersen in the process.

“Jasper’s just got massive stones – the kind that let him dare to go that close to the barriers and still make it through,” Pedersen admitted in conversation with TV 2 Sport. “I don’t have that in quite the same way. Like I said… fuck, man, if I’d just spotted the right gaps, a top five would definitely have been on the cards.”

The comments were vintage Pedersen: raw, honest, and tinged with the kind of self-awareness that marks a rider not just chasing results, but constantly recalibrating his approach.

This year’s Vuelta has been a very different beast for the 2022 green jersey winner. Without key lead-out men Ryan Gibbons and, crucially, Alex Kirsch — the latter having become almost an extension of Pedersen’s wheel in recent Grand Tours — the Dane has had to forge a new partnership on the fly, relying on compatriot Søren Kragh Andersen for support.

So far, that chemistry is still a work in progress. Ninth on Stage 8 may not tell the full story of positioning and missed splits, but for a rider of Pedersen’s calibre, it’s not enough. “I need to go and figure out what I can do better going forward,” he said. “There aren’t many sprint stages left, so let’s focus on other opportunities and work on it again next year.”

Despite the frustration, Pedersen continues to wear the green jersey as leader of the points classification — a testament to his consistency and tactical nous, particularly in intermediate sprints and punchier finales.

That lead, however, has come under pressure — and Pedersen knows it. “It would’ve been nice to pick up a few more points, but that’s out of our hands now. We just have to keep trying to score what we can.”

One of his savvier moves came on Stage 7’s mountainous parcours, where Pedersen attacked the intermediate sprint to take 20 valuable points — a clear sign that while stage wins are always the goal, he’s not above playing the long game. “I think I made a bit of a statement – it’s going to be tough for the other sprinters if I can keep pulling off a few tricks like that. But there’s still a long way to Madrid, so we’ll keep fighting.”

Still, the Dane is adamant that this Vuelta isn’t just about green. He wants victories — and knows the coming stages could offer a different kind of opportunity. “No, I’m also here to win stages – that’s the aim,” he said when asked if his sole focus would now be intermediate points. “But it’s a different kind of race now. There are more climbs coming up and some tougher finishes, which actually suit me better at this point. So let’s target those stages instead.”

Sunday’s stage, with its profile favouring the breakaway and a points sprint 30km from the line, may offer a chance to build his lead further — or even sneak a surprise win if the break sticks. “I wouldn’t rule it out, at least,” he added with a wry smile.

Can he keep digging deep in the final week? “You know me – you’ve seen it plenty of times before. So yeah, it should be fine,” Pedersen said, oozing trademark quiet confidence.