Mads Pedersen: "I'm going to do my best to keep my leader's jersey"

Mads Pedersen finished second in the individual time trial at the Baloise Belgium Tour and kept the blue jersey.

"I knew there were some fast guys there and it's never easy to win a time trial, To lose to Yves is okay, he is a strong time trialist. I can be happy with that," the Dane said in a post-race interview. "This is good preparation for the Tour de France. We worked a lot on the position on the time trial bike, with all kinds of new equipment. This was actually the first serious test. Unfortunately, I could not wear my new speed suit, but that will come in Copenhagen. We found a very fast set-up." he said

Pedersen is in great form and he has taken a hefty buffer over his rivals. The work in the days ahead won't be easy, but it will prepare him for the Tour de France. "It's a tough day tomorrow, especially with the heat... I survived the first few days, but tomorrow is over my limit. It could be the end in the leader's jersey. If I crack tomorrow, I will be satisfied after a first, third, and second place," he said. "I'm going to do my best to keep my leader's jersey. I'm not going to let myself get loose, but want to keep fighting until the finish line. It's going to be hot and heavy for everyone and maybe I'll have a good day."

He also commented on the situation in the Tour of Switzerland, where covid cases are forcing teams to withdraw from the race. "It's a very bad situation, two weeks before the start of the Tour. It is very difficult. I hope everyone recovers quickly. We are now very strict again with all the measures. Mouth masks, keeping a distance. Hopefully, we can limit the number of positive cases this way." he concluded. He holds the first position in GC after the end of the third stage of Baloise Belgium Tour and will be looking to defend it in the hilly stages ahead.