Pedersen calls Tour de France stage win a 'masterpiece by the team'

Danish cyclist Mads Pedersen described his victory on the fourth stage of the Tour de France as a "masterpiece by the team," a performance that also placed him at the front of the green jersey standings for points. Pedersen expressed his deep gratitude for his teammates' efforts, particularly Quinn Simmons and Mathias Vacek, who he said "worked like machines" to support him.

This win marks Pedersen's third career stage victory in the Tour de France and holds special significance as he had promised it to his Lidl-Trek manager, Luca Guercilena. "I had a good chat with our manager, Luca Guercilena, before the stage. He asked me to win a stage for him, preferably early in the Tour, and we knew this could be a good day for me," Pedersen explained, dedicating the win to Guercilena for their years of collaboration.

Addressing the challenging heat during the stage, Pedersen downplayed its impact, stating it's a condition that "everyone has to live with." He noted that support from team cars and staff providing drinks and ice packs helped manage the heat, emphasizing the benefit of having a strong team in such conditions.

With the green jersey now on his shoulders, Pedersen aims to enjoy the distinction until the Tour's conclusion in Paris on July 26. "I've taken the green jersey, and that's great. It would have been nice to win the intermediate sprint too, but at least I'm scoring 50 points at the finish line. It's been a good day in that respect too," he concluded.