Mads Pedersen powers to 2nd in E3 Saxo Classic, Stuyven takes 5th

Lidl-Trek started the day with ambition and a clear plan, but that strategy seemed to be thrown out the window early on when a massive crash split the peloton in two. Among those caught in the second group were Mads Pedersen, Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, and Filippo Ganna. Meanwhile, up front, Jasper Stuyven and teammates Tim Declercq and Tim Teutenberg found themselves in a lead group of around 50 riders, gaining more than three minutes on the chasers at one point. But the pre-race favorites weren’t about to be left behind, and with 110 km to go, the two groups merged.

That was Mads Pedersen’s cue to really kick off the race. On the Taaienberg, after a perfect set up by Alex Kirsch, Pedersen launched the first major attack, with only Van der Poel and Ganna able to follow. They quickly bridged to Aimé De Gendt and Casper Pedersen, who had gone clear earlier. The strongest riders were now at the front, working well together. Behind them, Jasper Stuyven rode in a chase group of six, while Toms Skujins and Kirsch were positioned in the peloton. Lidl-Trek was present on all fronts.

With around 40 km to go, Pedersen put the hammer down again on the Paterberg. Van der Poel answered with an acceleration of his own on the Oude Kwaremont. Mads initially managed to hold the Dutchman’s wheel but just couldn’t quite stay with him. Ganna followed slightly behind. Pedersen hovered around 15 seconds back for a long time but couldn’t close the gap. In the end, the order at the finish in Harelbeke was 1. Van der Poel, 2. Pedersen, 3. Ganna.

Behind them, Jasper Stuyven sprinted to fifth place in the chase group, while Toms Skujins’ strong ride meant Lidl-Trek placed three riders in the top 11. A fantastic team performance, with our squad present in every key move. More big races ahead, and a victory hopefully on the cards!

“I am actually really happy today. I had good legs and this is, by far, the best result I have done in this race and to be beaten by a ‘monster’ is okay. I think it was pretty clear [that MVDP was better today], he went on Kwaremont and went fast from the bottom already and, at one point, I just couldn’t hold the wheel and he is just incredibly good. When he has a gap, he just keeps extending it, and it is impossible to come back from that so, definitely there, on Kwaremont, he made the difference and showed his class. We wanted to open up the race at Taaienberg and I talked with the DS yesterday and they told me to try something there myself instead of following. For me, it was nice to open up the race and we could go into a smaller group from there with Filippo also, all three of us wanted to work all the time and it was really nice. I learned today that the shape is there and it was proper racing today so I am happy and ready for what’s to come.”

“Normally, I am fighting to win, but as I said, previously I have never done very good in this race so this is a big step forward. I was pretty sure that on Taaienberg that if I didn’t go then either Wout or Mathieu would try and so, why not do it myself. Alex Kirsch made a perfect run in and it was high speed from the bottom and it would have been stupid for me to not take advantage of that. On Paterberg I just wanted to go over it as fast as possible. This climb is a horrible thing and I just wanted to pass it as quickly as I could. It doesn’t matter if you go yourself or with someone else, it would be same amount of pain and power you have to push because it is so steep so, if it was me or Mathieu or Filippo that would go there it wouldn’t make a difference on the power output so I could take the front instead of being behind. To be honest, I don’t know [if MVDP was suffering on the Pateberg] because I was not look back, I was just concentrating on my pace. I hope he was suffering a bit because I was suffering but, then he put me in the pain cave on Kwaremont.

“This is not only a big step forward in terms of results at this race but it is also confirmation that the shape is there and it shows that Sanremo was not the best day I had and I know that my shape is good and today, I proved that. It is just not easy when you have a monster like Mathieu racing. It doesn’t make it easier for the rest of us but, you know, he is one of the biggest stars in cycling not only now but in history so, in the end, it is nice to be a part of that and today, I was just the best of the rest.

“You saw today, he [MVDP] is on another level but everything is possible, so much can happen in these races so for us it about not giving up. I have shown that it is possible to beat him. He has said he is not racing on Sunday but I have showed that even with him there at Gent-Wevelgem I can beat him, but that is a different race and there are also other riders, not just him, that are fast so now, it’s onto the next, but this is a good start to the Classics campaign.”