"You could see on the face of Pedersen... it was a proper cathartic release of stress" - Matt Stephens highlights Lidl-Trek breakaway dominance
Cycling
Matt Stephens believes there's nothing the remnants of the breakaway could have done to deny Mads Pedersen Tour de France stage 4 victory, highlighting the trojan work by his Lidl-Trek teammates Quinn Simmons and Mathias Vacek.
Simmons and Vacek policed the breakaway, originally of 34 riders, through the final climb as they shut down attacks and managed the pace so that their versatile sprinter could last and get himself to the finish where he would be favourite at a finish sprint to the line.
In doing so, the US and Czechia national champions have drawn significant praise for how they masterfully took control and ensured the Danish former world champion could seal the deal in the finale.
TNT Sports analyst Stephens highlighted just how effective Lidl-Trek's use of the riders was, with both even possibly favourites for the stage had they not been in service of Pedersen.
"Basically the three favourites to kind of perform, Vacek could have won it on his own, Simmons was great," Stephens said on TNT Sports after the stage.
Stephens praises Vacek and Simmons' teamwork
"Vacek was a minute up the road at one point so they could sit back. They played an absolute blinder. And in the finale, the amount of time that Simmons spent on the front, Vacek shutting stuff down."
Stephens highlighted the emphatic nature of their performance, feeling like victory was never in doubt. As a result, Pedersen now moves into the green jersey for best sprinter while Vacek's breakaway gains in the general classification means he wears the white jersey for best young rider in the overall classification.
"They absolutely had it dialed. Fair play to the other lads that managed to get in that final split with them. But they could do nothing about just the raw horsepower. And then the way that you finished it off under pressure was utterly emphatic."
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Pedersen's celebrations also struck a chord for Stephens, who observed it as a release of stress after an injury-disrupted season as Pedersen won his third Tour de France stage.- his first since 2023.
He continued: "They're going to be celebrating and they're going to be really great in that team now. But you could see on the face of Pedersen, any kind of win is joyous, but it was a proper cathartic release of stress as well. It's like finally I've got another win on the back."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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