Mads Pedersen

Mads Pedersen is a Danish cyclist who competes for Lidl-Trek. In 2019, he became the World Champion in road cycling and is known as a strong all-rounder with a powerful sprint. IDLProCycling.com keeps a close eye on all news related to Pedersen, along with maintaining a biography of his career.

Pedersen turned pro at the age of 21 with Trek-Segafredo in 2017, where he immediately got to ride in the Giro d'Italia. In 2018, he experienced his first full spring season in Flanders, and it was quite successful. After finishing fifth in Dwars door Vlaanderen, the young Dane impressively placed second in the Tour of Flanders, an incredible achievement for someone his age.

Initially, 2019 seemed like a disappointing year for Pedersen, who was selected by the Danish national coach for the World Road Cycling Championships in Yorkshire. The conditions were extremely challenging with terrible weather, but that didn't deter Pedersen. He first saw top favorite Mathieu van der Poel drop back due to a bonk and then out-sprinted the remaining favorite Matteo Trentin. As a result, the incredible Pedersen, at just 23 years old, suddenly became the World Champion in road cycling!

Pedersen proves he's not just a one-hit wonder post-World Championship

Unfortunately, Pedersen couldn't fully enjoy his time in the rainbow jersey, as it coincided with the pandemic year. As a result, the classics were moved to autumn, and the World Championships were held earlier than usual. However, Pedersen remained undeterred, affirming his prowess with a victory in Gent-Wevelgem. In 2021, he started off with a similar momentum, winning Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. The rest of the year, however, did not bring much success, and Pedersen was undoubtedly aiming for a comeback in 2022.

And what a comeback it was. Pedersen began the spring with victories in the Étoile de Bessèges and Paris-Nice, but the classics didn’t go as planned. His eighth place in the Tour of Flanders was the most notable result. Fortunately, Pedersen bounced back in the grand tours. Although he didn't win in his home country during the Grand Départ, he did clinch victory in the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France. In the Vuelta, Pedersen dominated with three stage wins and the green jersey. With ten victories, he claimed more than half of his team's wins for the season.