"I would like to get to 15 before I stop": Mads Pedersen sets ambitious Grand Tour goal ahead of Vuelta a España
Cycling
Mads Pedersen heads to the Vuelta a España with ambitious goals after another successful Tour de France. The Lidl-Trek star is determined to add several more Grand Tour stage victories to his palmarès, while also anticipating another thrilling rivalry with Wout van Aert in Spain.
Pedersen chasing 15 Grand Tour stage victories
Fresh off winning a stage and the green jersey at the Tour de France, Pedersen is already looking ahead to his next major objective. The Dane will line up at the Vuelta a España hoping to add multiple stage victories to his impressive Grand Tour tally. "A couple of stage wins would be lovely."
Currently sitting on 12 Grand Tour stage victories, Pedersen has already set himself a clear career target. "I would like to get to 15 before I stop," he said in his podcast.
Read also
The 30-year-old recently confirmed he plans to retire after the 2029 UCI Road World Championships in Copenhagen, believing a home World Championships would provide the perfect finale to his career. He has also cited his desire to start a family and the physical demands of professional cycling as reasons for ending his career at 33.
Pedersen has won five Giro d'Italia stages, three at the Tour de France and four at the Vuelta. Three more victories in Spain would see him reach his goal immediately. He even joked that achieving the milestone this year would mean he would never need to win another Grand Tour stage.
Mads Pedersen during the 2026 Tour de France
Another showdown with Van Aert
Pedersen also expects to renew his rivalry with Wout van Aert during the three-week race. The pair produced several memorable battles during the 2025 Giro d'Italia, and with both riders expected to start the Vuelta, Pedersen believes more duels are inevitable.
When asked whether another head-to-head battle with Van Aert was coming, his answer was emphatic. “You can bet on that.”
The Vuelta starts in Monaco on 22 August before finishing in Granada on 13 September, with high temperatures expected throughout the race.
After taking a short break following the Tour de France, Pedersen has already begun his preparations. Following a criterium appearance and several easy training rides, he is now starting a dedicated training block that includes heat adaptation sessions.
The Dane knows exactly what awaits him. “It is going to be brutal, so I might as well get used to it.”
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
- Martinez had a good year! 5th at the Tour was a great result for him, albeit largely through getting in successful breaks, but he held it better than Pidcock who’d done the same.Lozza14-11-2026
- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026
Loading
1 Comments