"For the points jersey we also have to take someone like Remco Evenepoel into account" - Mads Pedersen
Cycling
Mads Pedersen is perhaps under the radar because of the success of some of his rivals, but is an an extraordinary set of months since the Tour de France last year. The Dane is leading Trek - Segafredo alone at the Giro d'Italia and could very well be riding to a very strong set of results.
“I think every sprinter here is very strong and there will be a lot of opposition. In last year's Vuelta we saw many different sprinters win a stage, I think that will also be the case here," Pedersen said in a press conference ahead of the race. The 27-year old won a stage at the Tour de France last year, and then soared to three wins and the points classification at the Vuelta a Espana.
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The Dane has entered 2023 on a high too. He won a stage at both Etoile de Bessèges and Paris-Nice and in the cobbled classics he was perhaps the most consistent rider. He couldn't take a win, but finished in the Top6 of Milano-Sanremo, Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. He has impressed, including a podium in Flanders, and after some rest and training he now rides the Giro d'Italia in search of a win in his third different and consecutive Grand Tour.
Besides, he is rated by some as the man to beat for the points classification, taking into consideration his sprinting and climbing capacity. "For the points jersey we also have to take someone like Remco Evenepoel into account," he says. "He can also win the jersey, because if he wins a lot of stages, he also gets a lot of points. Moreover, there are many time trials where he can earn a lot of points.”
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Michael Matthews and Magnus Cort Nielsen should be among his highest competition, as the brutal mountains have seen most of the world's main sprinter miss out on the Giro - with the Tour de Hongrie hosting many of them simultaneously.
“I took a break after Roubaix and then started training again. I don't think I'm going to pay the toll of my spring in the Giro. If I get the bill anywhere, it will be later in the season," Pedersen concluded.
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- for what?frieders311-11-2026
- Blah blah blah!frieders311-11-2026
- Where Merckx just rode every single race he could and won all the time, Hinault won less often (percentage wise) because he was more judicious in what he raced. His palmares are nuts. He had amazing rivals, one to start his career and another to end it in the grand tours. His classics were solid. What sets him apart from Merckx and Pogačar are that he basically dabbled in the classics while the other two love(d) them. I used to compare Pogačar to Hinault for his grand tour record and occasional classics win, until I realized that the comparison was wrong. Pogačar loves the classics - ah, the memory of his reaction to finishing fourth in a 2 person sprint in Flanders in ‘22: utter domination in any one day race since then, even when he doesn’t win. Hinault lived for the grand tours and I don’t think anyone else will ever reach his record. 10 wins in 13 attempts? Good lord. An amazing rider. Wish there was more footage to watch.RidesHills11-11-2026
- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
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Getting closer and closer to the Grande Partenza of the #Giro 🇮🇹 Ciao Pescara 👋
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