"I am privileged to have a rider like Mads" - National coach on the importance of Mads Pedersen for Denmark

The course of the 2025 European Championships must've delighted a lot of riders, but Mads Pedersen certainly wasn't one of them. Still, the Danish classicsman/sprinter/jack of all trades will in Ardeche, ready to give it his best in the time trial and later as a support cast around Vuelta winner Jonas Vingegaard who should find the parcours far more suited to his abilities.

Most riders who participate in the individual time trial on Wednesday (October 1) will mostly rest before the road race on Sunday (October 5). But not Pedersen. As he's unlikely to have the leader role in the road race, the Dane has no need to conserve his energy and instead of a training session and a coffee ride, he fit a one-day race between the two events. On Friday, Pedersen will put on the Lidl-Trek colours to lead his team in Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (1.Pro).

"He's going to have a busy week, but that also says something about Mads. While he's a world star, he's also a guy, and really appreciates riding for the Danish national team. Even on a route that might not suit him the best," national coach Michael Morkov tells Feltet in an interview.

In fact, most riders would not volunteer to do the time trial at all, if put in Pedersen's shoes, Morkov knows. That's all the more reason why he has only words of admiration for the star rider's determination. "It wouldn't have been a distant thought to do the time trial, Münsterland and then say, that was enough."

The 2019 world champion sets an example for all his younger compatriots in what it means to represent their country. Makes Morkov's job much easier.

"As national coach, I am privileged to have a rider like Mads, who supports the national team so much and ensures that we can compete in strong numbers. He is a pioneer for the national team. First of all, he takes great pride in being part of it. But he is an important figure for me because he influences all his younger colleagues as well."

Pedersen top-10'd in all three of his previous Continental Championship participations, but also when the hopes of a result are not as high, the 29-year-old is still ready to respond to a call-up to the national team. "It may be that a European Championship is not his thing, but he still wants to be part of the national team and ride for Denmark. Both when the championship is his thing, and also when it is not."

According to most expected scenarios, the route in Ardeche is deemed too hard for Pedersen to actually compete, but his coach is not ready to claim he won't get a result: "It's hard to completely write off Mads, the way he's been riding this year and in the terrains he's been performing. But it's clear that with Jonas on the team card, he'll be our primary captain. He's the one we can trust the most to beat Pogacar and Remco," Morkov concludes.