Mads Pedersen speaks as he likes to race: with blunt power. There's little room for subtlety and small talk, especially when he is battered and bruised after the Dwars door Vlaanderen crash and the Tour of Flanders is approaching.
The Dane is the Lidl-Trek designated leader for Sunday's race and so will try to take on Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and everyone who lines up in Antwerp.
Pedersen didn’t complete a final Tour of Flanders reconnaissance ride with his Lidl-Trek teammates on Thursday due to the consequences of him crashing at speed with Wout Van Aert and others at almost 70 km/h as they blasted to the foot of the Kanarieberg.
He rode outdoors on Friday morning to try and ease the pain of the bruises that he describes as 'everywhere' on his body. Fortunately he has been able to sleep and so his recovery is underway.
He will surely be back to his best for next Sunday's Paris-Roubaix but made it clear he will fight for a result on Easter Sunday too.
"I've had better days, let's say it like this. To hit the floor with that speed is always painful. My wounds are sticking to the underwear and the sheets of the bed. it's just a pain in the ass to have this," Pedersen said on Friday afternoon.
"Of course, once in a while we end up on the floor and that's a part of it. We know it when we sign our contracts that with that signature follows a bit of skin once in a while.
"It's not ideal preparation for Sunday but I know it could have been worse. I could have been in the hospital or on the operation table like a lot of my teammates or competitors. So I'm quite happy that I'm still able to race."
Pedersen is expecting to suffer on Sunday, due to his injuries and an aggressive race.
"Sorry for the strong words, but one thing for sure is that it's going to be a f*cking tough race," he said.
"Not only because I have a few bruises and a sore body but also because maybe some guys will try to anticipate and try the early (aggressive) style of racing."
"I also have to start the race with a different mindset than I would if I hadn't crashed on Wednesday. To win Flanders you usually have to be 100%. I have to be honest, I'm not 100% after a crash like this. On the other hand, everything is also possible and if everything really plays my way, it's still possible, it's 50-50 which way it goes."
A different Tour of Flanders without Pogačar and Van Aert
Pedersen has not thought about how the Dwars door Vlaanderen crash will change the Tour of Flanders.
Major rival Wout Van Aert is out after his multiple fractures but Visma-Lease a Bike are still expected to be contenders and ride aggressively with Matteo Jorgensen, Tiesj Benoot and Jan Tratnik. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) crashed but will ride the Tour of Flanders, with Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost) Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Michael Matthews (Jayco AUla), Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step) and Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) all contenders.
Of course, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is now the huge favourite to win the Tour of Flanders for a third time. Jasper Philipsen has opted to focus on Scheldeprijs and Paris-Roubaix and so Alpecin-Deceuninck are going 'all-in' for Van der Poel.
Lidl-Trek lost Jasper Stuyven and Alex Kirsch but have Jonathan Milan and especially Toms Skujiņš, who can perhaps handle the many cobbled climbs better than anyone in the team. Tim Declercq, Daan Hoole, Otto Vergaerde and Edward Theuns complete the Lidl-Trek line-up.
"It's a pain in the ass that we lost Jasper and Alex," Pedersen said.
"I feel really sorry for Jasper, he'd found the shape again and looked really, really good for Flanders. Alex is super important for the run-ins and for positioning, he knows these roads so well.
The absence of Tadej Pogačar could also see the Tour of Flanders return to a more traditional style of racing, with fewer early attacks but a decisive attack from Van der Poel over the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg.
"I think we will have a combination of what we were doing years ago and what we saw in the last couple of years," Pedersen said.
"Maybe some other guys that are Pogačar size have got some new ideas, or we've all got the same ideas as him. The difference is that 'Pogy' was basically impossible to follow when he went at Strade Bianche. Hopefully, there'll be a chance to follow other guys."
Lidl-Trek have used their strength in depth to dominate the race tactics at the Classics this spring. They are arguably weaker now but Pedersen insisted there are no plans to change their style of racing.
"I don't think it would be smart for us to change the way we are racing now. We're into a really good rhythm and we kind of like to race like this," Pedersen said.
"We've still got to make a plan and we still try to do our race. Then we will see how my body is reacting. We have a Toms (Skujiņš) in the team who can do really well, so we still have some good cards to play."
Jonathan Milan gives a sprint option but it is very unlikely a big group will stay together on the final climbs and finish together.
Pedersen has earned the grades of a team leader ahead of the Italian sprinter.
"One of my biggest dreams is to win a monument and the team is aware of this. So the general plan for these monuments is right now that I'm the leader. Like it or not," Pedersen made clear.
"Johnny's aware of that. One day I would give Johnny back the work he did for me but right now I'm the guy we are going for if it's needed."
The Tour of Flanders race strategy
Pedersen is not concerned about an early break somehow staying away. The riders should feel a side wind from their left as they ride southwest from Antwerp to the Flemish hills around Oudenaarde. The rain forecast for Saturday should clear away for Sunday's race.
"A breakaway can always make it far in Flanders but I'm not afraid of that," Pedersen, knowing he has Tim Declercq to help with any early work.
"Visma-Lease a Bike still want to win the race even in the absence of Wout Van Aert. Matteo Jorgenson is pretty good and Tiesj Benoot is also flying. Then Alpecin have Mathieu van der Poel of course. I think we'll see a surprise in the final but I'm also pretty sure the names people put on the list for the top five will also fight for the win."
Pedersen won Gent-Wevelgem, beating Van der Poel and so is not under pressure to win the Tour of Flanders. He is suffering with his crash injuries and the Tour of Flanders arguably suits him less than other Classics and suits Van der Poel far better.
A result at the Tour of Flanders should be a huge bonus, perhaps even a surprise for the Dane but he wants to continue his and Lidl-Trek's successful spring campaign.
"I'm happy with the win at Gent-Wevelgem. It takes a bit of pressure away that I've now won a Classic," Pedersen concluded.
"We know I'm still able to be 100% ready for Paris-Roubaix and on Sunday we'll try to keep riding on the wave we created as a team at the E3 Saxo Classic."
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