"Enjoy the small steps forward": Mads Pedersen back on indoor bike after his serious crash in Valencia
Cycling
Five days after one of the toughest moments of his season start, Mads Pedersen is back on the bike. The Dane from Lidl-Trek, who last Wednesday hit the deck on stage 1 of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2026, has begun his road back after a double injury that initially set off alarm bells.
That crash left a difficult diagnosis: a fractured wrist and a broken collarbone, a sobering medical report for any rider, especially one who had just opened his racing calendar. However, far from dwelling on the setback, Pedersen has chosen a constructive approach. After undergoing surgery last week, the former world champion is already immersed in his recovery. From his home in Monaco, he shared a video riding gently on the turbo, wrist still bandaged but with a calm expression.
Alongside the footage, Pedersen posted a simple yet meaningful message: "Reminder: enjoy the small steps forward". A line that neatly captures his current mindset. Rather than setting deadlines or dates, the Dane seems focused on steady progress, valuing each gain in what will inevitably be a gradual process.
So, although the incident in Valencia put an unexpected brake on his season launch, the fact he was already turning the pedals just five days after the crash is encouraging. With patience, consistency, and a positive attitude, Mads Pedersen begins writing the first chapter of his comeback.
Return to his prime
Last season, Mads Pedersen cemented his status as one of the world’s best riders. There was even debate about whether he belongs in the select Big Six alongside Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, and Primoz Roglic. The rider whose place he would take is Wout van Aert.
He made a strong case. Among his standout results in 2025 were four stage wins and the points classification at the Giro d’Italia, a stage win at the Vuelta a España along with the points classification, overall victories at the Danmark Rundt and the Tour de la Provence, Gent-Wevelgem, plus podiums at the Tour des Flandres and Paris–Roubaix, to name a few.
Mads Pedersen aims to return as soon as possible to target the Monuments
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- A great route aswell. Col D'Arcy is a toughie
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horribleRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- I remember when Mark went through that. He was really experiencing lows and thought about quiting many times. It took him a long time to recover. I, like many others were overjoyed when he came back. I hope Lafay has been tested. I wish him the best.Paggss03-11-2026
- That sucks for him. I've always wondered what guys like him do after retiring from cycling - go back to uni? He's still a very young manCrashjames03-11-2026
- Good Point, I wonder if he's been testedmhfrvz03-11-2026
- A busy boy!Lozza03-11-2026
- I hope 2027 is his year.mij03-11-2026
- why does he have to? many GT riders from Froome to Contador to Indurain didn't do them.mij03-11-2026
- I think Jonas would have lost the TDF by 4+ minutes (at the least) and might not have even been in the top 3. Too much talent in the younger riders to say anyone not named Pogačar would have been top 3md197503-11-2026
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