Mads Pedersen ahead of Flandres: "it can't be cold enough for me on Sunday"

Trek - Segafredo are one of the teams that have the most experience racing in Flandres, and also the most quality. It will be a very tough day on the bike for many, but Mads Pedersen is a rider who is between the main favourites as he has shown great climbing form this year, and has a very strong sprint on top of great endurance capacity.

“We just have a lot of fun together”, explains the Belgian. “With the whole team, by the way. Having fun is very important. We are not The Wolfpack or a Band of Brothers (in reference to Quick-Step and BORA's nicknames). We're just a group of guys who get along well and we like to race," Pedersen told Wielerflits in an interview focused on the upcoming Tour des Flandres. After strong performances in France, a sixth place in Milano-Sanremo and seventh at Gent-Wevelgem, the Dane has shown the form to be up there in contention in what will be a cold and long day on the bike, not too different than the one that has seen him crowned World champion in Yorkshire.

“I hope for the good legs I had in San Remo, but super days don't come to order. If I knew what caused the volatility, I would have started working on it. But I have no idea... With a view to Paris-Roubaix, I don't have to do a good race on Sunday either. They are two completely different races, there are two weeks between them. It makes no difference if I do a good Tour of Flanders. I also rode a shit World Championships in Leuven, while I did ride a pretty good Roubaix until my crash," he added.

Asked if the cold weather this week in the region, which has seen snow fall on the day which most teams chose for a recon of the course, favours him, Pedersen said: "That I'm good in cold weather? I really thought fuck when I opened my window on Friday and saw snow. But it can't be cold enough for me on Sunday. That it will not be twenty degrees on Sunday, that gives me mental strength. Let it rain too.”

Jasper Stuyven has added that he believes the race will be ran in a different way comparing to the last few years. After being ill and having to miss his title defence at Milano-Sanremo, he's seemed to recover some of his form in time for Flandres, after finishing fourth at Gent-Wevelgem: “We have to follow if Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar start early. Add Tom Pidcock to that as well. They are known for wanting to race from afar. There is no reason to sit back and wait for the traditional final on Sunday. It no longer starts on the last time Oude Kwaremont, but on the Koppenberg," he concluded.

Trek - Segafredo for Tour des Flandres: Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, Edward Theuns, Alex Kirsch, Daan Hoole, Toms Skujins and Otto Vergaerde.