With Lidl-Trek lacking their Tour de France GC chief after Tao Geoghegan-Hart after the British rider was hit by COVID-19 and a fractured rib, the workforce has recalibrated their targets for the race.
Stage looking would be the intention, with the likes of Toms Skujins, 2023 king of the mountains Giulio Ciccone, and two-time stage winner Mads Pedersen main the US workforce’s cost.
The previous world champion Pedersen, who has taken a stage win at every of the previous two Excursions, may even be handed higher leeway – and higher help – as he battles for extra victories along with difficult reigning factors classification champion Jasper Philipsen for the inexperienced jersey.
Philipsen took a complete inexperienced jersey win final summer time, 119 factors forward of Pedersen in Paris, however the Dane has outlined one other tilt on the competitors as a purpose for this yr’s race.
“It is a good choice,” Pedersen stated of the purpose classification at Lidl-Trek’s pre-Tour press occasion at a Lidl grocery store on the outskirts of Florence on Thursday.
“I am climbing rather well. I do know Jasper continues to be a quicker sprinter than me, however I am going to attempt to seize as many factors as attainable and keep within the sport of the inexperienced jersey.
“After all, the inexperienced jersey comes with attempting to win as many levels as attainable, in order that’s positively our primary purpose – to win as a lot as attainable. We’ll see the way it performs out.”
The most recent race content material, interviews, options, critiques and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
Pedersen acknowledged that improved climbing was on present on the Critérium du Dauphiné final month, the place he gained the opening dash stage and put in loads of work for workforce chief Ciccone within the closing mountain levels.
He is misplaced weight, although not an excessive amount of to be a detriment to his top-end sprinting pace, he stated.
“The burden is a bit decrease than final yr. I skilled a bit extra within the mountains mixed with loads of sprinting and motor pacing additionally. I am used to climbing in coaching and it offers additionally a bit little bit of assist once you begin to climb within the races,” Pedersen stated.
“The pace continues to be there. We saved it on a superb degree, I’d say, as a result of we positively do not need to be higher at climbing after which take away the sprinting.
“However climbing higher does not imply that you simply get sufficient factors to get a inexperienced jersey. To do this, it’s a must to win some sprints, or at the least be up there each time. Final yr, we had loads of levels at first, the place I completed eighth, tenth, one thing like this. That is not sufficient. I’ve to be the highest three or high 5 in each dash we do to maintain sufficient factors to get within the mixture of the inexperienced jersey.”
Pedersen revealed that he had a COVID-19 an infection within the aftermath of the Dauphiné however stated it had not hindered his Tour preparation.
“It hits some individuals exhausting and a few individuals it doesn’t, I used to be not affected quite a bit,” Pedersen stated. “I had just a few days off the bike, and I wanted to relaxation anyway, and even driving with it was not an issue for me, I used to be fortunate and hopefully I don’t get something through the Tour.”
Pedersen’s battle for inexperienced – and stage wins – could properly start on the primary stage of the Tour, a hilly 206km run from Florence to Rimini. The stage options seven categorized climbs, together with three second-category hills, and a closing climb – the 7km, 4.7% Côte de San Marino – coming 25km from the end.
The stage could also be too robust for the pure sprinters, and perhaps for Pedersen, too, regardless of his improved climbing. He and Lidl-Trek will give their greatest effort, although, even when his probabilities of opening day success might hinge on the actions of rival groups.
“I’d say that we will take the possibility,” Pedersen stated. “Now, with no GC guys, it is unnecessary to not attempt. I do know it will be on the restrict if not over the restrict, so every little thing has to play in our favour, but it surely additionally could be silly simply to sit down up on the backside and say ‘OK, I am unable to make it’.
“I will not sit right here and say, ‘Sure, I can win that stage’ as a result of I understand how robust it’s. If I’ve to do a end result, then it actually depends upon how all of the groups need to race the final climb. So, it is open, it is of their fingers if I’ll make it or not. Particularly UAE – in the event that they need to win already on day one, and in the event that they go full from the underside to the highest, then I do not know – I am not going to outlive.
“All of us simply should see what the state of affairs is on the highest after which now we have to see if we will do harm management or not. We are able to speak for hours about that, but it surely all comes all the way down to Saturday how will probably be laid out.”
Regardless of the consequence of the Tour’s first stage this weekend, Pedersen’s focus over the following three weeks is absolutely on the race, somewhat than August’s Olympic Video games in Paris.
After all, the street race there shall be a significant purpose as he seems to be so as to add a gold medal to his 2019 rainbow jersey, however his preparation for the Olympics will largely observe final yr’s schedule, the place he accomplished the Tour after which took fourth on the Glasgow World Championships two weeks later.
“Proper now, I am right here for the Tour and targeted on the Tour,” Pedersen stated. “I believe it is good for me to maintain racing regular and exhausting within the Tour. I believe that is the very best preparation for the Olympics.
“We noticed final yr with the World Championships – it is the identical timing, it is two weeks after the Tour. It went fairly properly final yr so why change this recipe of racing and coaching earlier than an vital purpose? So, the Olympics shall be my focus after we end the time trial in Good.”
