Mads Pedersen is certainly one of the most in-form riders at the moment and the results of recent weeks make him one of the favorites for the Tour of Flanders, although beating riders like Van der Poel and Pogacar will not be easy. Pedersen has already participated 7 times in the Ronde and the first time, in 2018, he managed to climb to the second step of the podium, while in 2023 he finished third. In 2018, the Dane was just 22 years old when, surprisingly, he came second behind an extraordinary Niki Terpstra.

"It doesn't help much to look back," Pedersen explained, who doesn't want to make comparisons with the past - "In 2018 I was very happy with my second place in a Monument Classic. I would never have imagined at that moment that I could compete for the victory. I had to work for my leaders John Degenkolb and Jasper Stuyven and should not have done anything else. On Sunday, however, my role will be completely different. I will be at the start as an important outsider."

In 2018, Pedersen was a rider yet to be discovered, and champions like Van der Poel and Pogacar, who will be the big favorites on Sunday, were not in the race. "Honestly, I don't care much about who will be at the start. Mathieu will participate on Sunday and Tadej will also participate on Sunday. It will be what it will be. Their presence makes races like the Ronde more interesting for an even wider audience."

The Dane is not too worried about his opponents, but he also realizes that winning will be difficult. "It's true I won Gent-Wevelgem, but Van der Poel and Pogacar were not present in the race. With them around, you simply have a completely different race. They are not afraid to open the race early and launch towards the finish line. Attack early? Should I attack one hundred and forty kilometers from the end? It wouldn't make sense. I can only wait for the race to develop and then hope to make the right decision. I will follow my instinct."

Pedersen is also aware that waiting for his opponents' attack might not be the best solution and that perhaps, anticipating could be the only possible strategy. "They could overtake me on the Kwaremont. So I think I should do something before, but I wouldn't know what to say. It depends on many factors, including how we will behave as a team. This is the strongest formation we have prepared for the Ronde and I will have to count a lot on my teammates because they will be a fundamental help."

Pedersen said that winning the Tour of Flanders would be an important goal, but winning Paris-Roubaix would be the realization of a dream. "If you ask me which race I would most like to win, I would say Paris-Roubaix. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to win the Tour of Flanders. It is and remains one of the most beautiful Monument Classics. I like racing in Flanders and the Ronde is the most special of all races on these terrains. If at the end of my career I were to win the Tour of Flanders and not Paris-Roubaix, then I would consider myself more than satisfied."