"We still have some good opportunities to go" - Mads Pedersen showing good form and high ambitions after near-misses in opening weekend

Mads Pedersen has targeted the Vuelta a Espana and in the opening weekend he's shown good form, going for the intermediate sprints and coming in a close second on both bunch sprints.

"The boys did a really, really good job today. Everyone was committed... It was not an easy break to control so they did really well," Pedersen commented at the end of the third day of racing. After a second place on the opening sprint, Trek - Segafredo committed to do some work and help reel in the numerous early breakaway, with eye on a stage win that the former World champion has been eyeing.

"Daan is always there at the end, doing the leadout and keeping us out of problems. And Alex - yeah, we know the story, which was pretty much the same again. He leaves me on the wheel of Sam," Pedersen pointed out. Pedersen was in the right wheel towards the end, that of Sam Bennett, but he didn't have the power in the final meters to go over the green jersey.

"Sam opened the sprint, and it was a headwind sprint, so I was like ‘okay, perfect’. I opened a moment later, but I picked the wrong way, I went to the right. I think [Dan] McLay from Arkea and Sam came a bit together and I got boxed in," he detailed "I had to stop pedaling and be a bit on the brakes and then go left and start the sprint again. It destroyed the chances at winning the stage," he said with some disappointment.

"But it shows good for the rest of the Vuelta. We still have some good opportunities to go". Despite the far from perfect sprint, Pedersen managed to ride into second place. Although he's lost some ground on Sam Bennett in the fight for the green jersey, he's managed to keep the gap tight at only 37 points - a small difference taking into consideration how there are 18 stages left, most of which will be in favour of Pedersen.