'I've shown it's possible' - Mads Pedersen believes in ability to beat likes of Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel as he sets out 2026 goals
Published 13/12/2025 at 13:54 GMT
Mads Pedersen is taking confidence from a 2025 season that saw him cement himself as one of the best riders in the world, and believes it is possible to beat the likes of Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. After an impressive campaign that included a magnificent display at the Giro d'Italia, the 29-year-old Dane is aiming to win the green jersey at next year's Tour de France.
Pedersen says critics should 'shut their mouths'
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Mads Pedersen had always been an excellent rider. Since winning the Road World Championships in 2019, he has been one of cycling's best sprinters and one-day racers.
But an impressive 2025 saw the Lidl-Trek man catapult into conversations besides the sport's greatest talents of today.
His performances in the spring Classics, where he battled Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert in six races, put him among the elite. Of those six, he won the Gent-Wevelgem and finished on the podium at the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the E3 Saxo Classic.
The 29-year-old Dane is straightforward and outspoken, with a sharp tongue and high aspirations for his career.
In response to those detractors who do not place him alongside the likes of Pogacar and Van der Poel, Pedersen said outright: "It's simple. I don't have to argue with them, they have their opinions, I have my opinions.
"I have shown that it's possible to beat Mathieu. Today is a different story, but he is a star of cycling. Not only in this generation, but I would say forever."
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He continued: "Believe me, I try to find this last 1% to beat these guys. I'm the guy who's working my ass off every day.
"So everyone that's arguing against that I'm on the same level as these guys, to be honest, I think they should shut their mouths and try to work the same amount of hours that I do on the bike.
"Because I'm the one who wants to beat them more than these people want to do. It's tough in cycling right now, and I have to accept, I know, and I'm fully aware that some of them are bigger and more talented riders than me.
"It doesn't mean they're unbeatable. I have shown that before, and hopefully I can keep showing it."
The Lidl-Trek team enjoyed an unbelievable Giro d'Italia, but Pedersen made the race his playground. He won four stages and was dominant in the sprint battles. He put on the maglia ciclamino in Rome after accumulating the most points over the stages.
The first stage saw him prevail in a head-to-head battle with Van Aert and briefly capture the maglia rosa.
"The confidence comes from when I start a race," he explained. "I have done everything in my power to be the best version of myself, and when I have done, I believe that I can win the bike race.
"I also believe that when I start against Mathieu, Wout van Aert, Tadej, and all the others like Ganna, all the other strong riders. I believe that when I have done everything to perfection, I can beat these guys. It doesn't mean I need to win smaller races to gain that confidence."
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Pogacar, Van der Poel, Pedersen - Best finishes from 2025
Video credit: TNT Sports
Lidl-Trek recently confirmed that Pedersen will be back in the team's plans for the Tour de France in 2026, after not taking part this year.
The rider will be tasked with chasing stages and points for the green jersey as new rider Juan Ayuso challenges for the overall classification.
"The Classics, it's a given I will do the Classics," Pedersen said. "And after that I will do the Tour. The goal for me and the rest of my career is to win a Monument and the green jersey in the Tour.
"Let's see if I'm able to achieve it, of course I hope that. But next year that will be the main goal, to win in the Classics and win the green jersey in the Tour."
His inclusion in the Tour comes at the cost of of Jonathan Milan, who won the green jersey in this year's race with Pedersen sitting out.
"We get on really well. At the end of the day we are racing 75 race days, and we can count two to three races a year where we have to be there together and it can clash.
"In Sanremo, you need the legs to be there at the finish line. If it comes down to a sprint and Johnny is there and we're sprinting for the win, I'm also not stupid.
"I know Jonny is faster than me. And the fact that I want to win a Monument doesn't keep my ego in a position where I would say, 'I'll never do a lead-out for Johnny', because I'm smart enough and can see he has a higher chance of winning a race than me, so I would do a lead-out for him then.
"I don't think you guys need to put me and Jonny against each other, we are actually there for each other. It's only a few races a year we will be we are together, and we are also honest with each other."
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