"He belongs in the Tour": Bjarne Riis welcomes Mads Pedersen’s return to the Tour de France in 2026

After skipping the most important cycling race of the year in 2025, Mads Pedersen will return to the Tour de France in 2026. The Dane star will be the sole leader for the sprints, as Jonathan Milan is instead going to the Giro, and his main objective will be to secure the green jersey plus some stage wins.

His comeback has been warmly received in Denmark, not least by former Tour winner Bjarne Riis, who believes Pedersen’s presence was missed and describes him as a rider who naturally belongs in the Tour.

"It's great to see him back. I had hoped to see him this year, but he wasn't to be. It's Mads Pedersen and the Tour's responsibility that Mads is there because he's such a great rider," Riis said in an interview to Ekstra Bladet.

According to Riis, Pedersen adds unpredictability to the race, a quality he felt was lacking during the most recent edition. "He can give the race so much color. I missed that this year. For us Danes, it's fantastic that he's riding the Tour. He's a huge talent. Him and Vingegaard are the best we have. It's just great that he's riding the Tour."

Riis stressed that Pedersen’s value goes beyond mass sprints, as his versatility allows him to shine in many terrains, something that can be seen in the spring classics for example. "He's not someone who just waits for a mass sprint. He's cool enough to create a spectacle that we think is great to watch. He's never been better than he is now, and he can get even better."

Pedersen already said the green jersey will be his main goal during the Lidl-Trek presentation a few days ago in Spain. After Jonathan Milan secured it in 2025, the Dane will try to replicate his teammate's success next year, and Riis thinks he has everything needed to get it.

"He's good enough to challenge those who need to be challenged. I think the others think 'oh no, Mads is in'. He's so versatile and good. He's not just a sprinter."