Pedersen supports critical Pogacar, hasn't heard from Van der Poel yet, and will face Van Aert in Giro

Mads Pedersen has his heart on his sleeve, which means (online) press moments with the Lidl-Trek Dane are always interesting. This was no different on Friday afternoon. The 29-year-old start rider revealed to IDLProCycling.com his program, his plans with Lidl-Trek to take on the big riders, and his opinion about the safety discussion.

Mads Pedersen's opinion on copy-paste and no altitude training yet

Lidl-Trek and Pedersen had a fantastic spring in 2024, so they are not changing anything in the Dane's build-up to his main goals in the classics. That means he starts in Etoile de Bessèges (last year's stage and overall win) and Tour de la Provence (last year's three stage wins and overall win) before heading to Milan-Sanremo (last year's fourth) via Paris-Nice (second twice).

Never change a winning team, they say. "The winter passed well; the form is there. I haven't encountered any illness, injuries, or other issues, so that's a good start to the year. The goals are the same as always; nothing changes there. I want to win races, although I don't expect to win as much in France as last year. That was an exceptional start. But we like to start in good form, so I want to win immediately."

"I don't expect a copy of 2024, although I'm going to Besseges and Provence with a lot of confidence and good memories," he sounds confident. Pedersen also did the same in the winter, so there was no altitude training yet, as his coach Mattias Reck cautiously suggested. "I still don't like altitude training, but someone pays my salary, and if they say I should go, I go. That's not the case this year; I don't know what will happen. I don't worry about that."

Read more below the photo.

Pedersen went like a rocket in 2024 with three stage wins in Provence

Mads Pedersen's view on the classics

After Sanremo, Pedersen will opt for the well-known one-day races in his much-loved Flanders. That means we will see him back in the E3 Saxo Classic, his 2024 win Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix. That he chooses exactly the same races as last season is not surprising to Pedersen. "If you have a good recipe for pancakes, you don't change it, right?"

He says it with a giggle, but what Pedersen wants to speak with it: other riders don't change his mindset. "We know well what to do; we don't have to invent anything. It goes the way it goes. Stronger guys win some races, but I don't have to do everything to defeat them. We have a good plan, and that's the recipe for being my best self."

That he would love to win Paris-Roubaix one day is already known. But how? He doesn't know that himself, either. "I can tell you when I've won. The best riders in the world don't make it easy, but I've already shown I can defeat them. Roubaix is my dream race, so I hope to win it someday, but it will be tough."

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Pedersen in his much-loved Paris-Roubaix

Mads Pedersen talks about competing against Van der Poel ánd Van Aert

"The best riders in the world," Pedersen called them. In the spring, we then mention Mathieu van der Poel as the defending champion in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. "But I'm not just focusing on Van der Poel, Wout van Aert is there too. He added that Tadej (Pogacar, ed.) would also compete. 'I only focus on myself; only when the races get closer will we think about what the other teams are doing and who they are with."

Those other blocks will look with great respect at the men Pedersen has around him. In 2024, Lidl-Trek impressed with Jasper Stuyven, Toms Skujins, and Jonathan Milan. That was joined by Søren Kragh Andersen (a childhood friend of Pedersen's), and youngster Mathias Vacek is a year older. "I can't say now how we will defeat Van der Poel, but I know we are going to the classics with confidence and belief."

"I think we will be stronger than in 2024," he sounds optimistic. And with that, Pedersen is not even looking at the names themselves. "Above all, we have gained more experience together again. We have experienced what we can achieve as a group, and I believe that success leads to more success. After the spring of 2024, we start 2025 with big ambitions, and we want to win everywhere. It is nice to see how everyone is dedicated to their role. We will be stronger."

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Lidl-Trek is ready for the classics, argues Pedersen

Mads Pedersen's participation in Giro d'Italia and no Tour de France

When Paris-Roubaix is over, the year has only just begun for Pedersen. Unlike 2024, he will skip the Tour de France and go to the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España. "A summer at home,' he chirps, including the Tour of Denmark and the new Danish one-day race Copenhagen Classic. 'After the Vuelta, the program is still somewhat open; there are plenty of options then."

The choice for the Giro-Vuelta was made because of Milan, who will be a sprint leader in the Tour de France. "With this tour route, Milan has to go on the tour, which has many sprint opportunities. That wasn't an easy decision because I would have liked to fight for Green, but with Jonathan, we can win a lot more, so it's a logical decision. It's easier to win three or four times with him than with me."

Pedersen has already done the Giro three times, with his first stage win in 2023. He did the Vuelta once, and that proved successful with three stage wins and the points jersey in 2022. The points jersey is also the goal in the Giro, with Pedersen emphasizing that he loves Italy. For that reason, he is also doing Milan-Sanremo in March. "Sanremo is not my favorite race, but it's a Monument, and it suits me. So I will do my absolute best to win that race."

Read more below the photo.

No yellow chase for Pedersen at Tour de France in 2025

Mads Pedersen addressing the safety question: should there be a gear restriction?

Then, finally, the security discussion, something Pedersen can relate to, of course. He was one of the victims of crashes in Dwars door Vlaanderen. He was unsuccessful in de Ronde and Roubaix in 2024, as for Stuyven and Van Aert, among others. There are demands from the ASO, UCI, and many riders to do something about the extreme speeds to reduce the impact of such a crash.

Pedersen thinks that is nonsense. "I don't think it's logical to introduce gear restrictions, no.' When asked for some clarification, he remains silent for a moment. 'I just don't believe in it and don't think it's the right decision. Then what is? Taking out the descent of the Kanarieberg in Dwars door Vlaanderen was at least a good start and a better decision."

Pedersen does not have alternatives for safer cycling. "It's hard to say what to do; we're all looking for solutions. We also have to accept that we race with a chance of crashing. Sometimes those crashes are severe.' With that, Pedersen is one of the few to join Pogacar, who held the same opinion in December. 'Everyone always wants to be faster; the whole cycling world develops like all sports," the Slovenian said.

"Records are being shattered with the development of technology. A bike that goes ten kilometers per hour slower will not change that much," Pogacar was critical of the possible measures. "Marketing-wise, such a limit will be a problem if we have to start promoting things that are less good than they can be. Everything has to be better; the sponsor wants that, too. There are no limits to that; it was just as dangerous in the past. I don't think fewer risks were taken than when they went slower."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])      

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