"If he gets any better, he’ll beat Pogacar" - Mads Pedersen backed to win monument after meaningful evolution

Mads Pedersen has in the past few years found the consistency he lacked earlier in his career and is really showing the full extent of his talent. The 2019 World Champion has surprisingly never won a monument despite his incredible classics performance, but this could change according to Danish pundit Brian Holm who sees in his compatriot a worthy monument winner even in the age of Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel.

“He’s one of the best riders in the world, it's in the cards. He’s paid to win big races, and that’s what he’s done," Brian Holm told to Eurosport. "He had the power to win the Tour of Flanders or Paris–Roubaix. Last time, it was purely a matter of tactics."

“On paper, what he did is impossible. It’s almost impossible to go that far in Gent–Wevelgem, which is essentially a sprinters’ race. From Ypres to Wevelgem, they go so hard... and he still stays out front. I simply don’t understand how he does it.” What Pedersen achieved is what looked to be within range only of Pogacar and van der Poel, with dominant long-range attacks and energy reserves that seem to defy logic.

Whilst he didn't manage to then win a monument, he finished on the podium of both Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix. Later in the year he would win stages and points classifications at the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España, win the Danish time trial championships and win the overall classification - alongside three stages - at the Tour of Denmark. A successful year, in addition to the stage victory at Paris-Nice, and the GC/stage wins at the Tour de la Provence at the start of the season.

“Even his low points were incredibly high. First the Giro d’Italia and the classics, then he kept up the momentum into the Vuelta and won the points jersey," Holm points out, before casting a warning to his rivals. "If he gets any better, he’ll beat Pogacar.” And this could definitely happen, as Lidl-Trek grow in quality by the year due to a budget increase, and the Dane himself is 29 years old - younger than van der Poel and Van Aert.

And in his bag of attributes is also an incredible endurance which specially allows him to thrive in the long races. "His perseverance. He can sustain it for such a long time. He’s been incredible. And it seems like he’s become a bit smarter too; more calculating, waiting for those key moments. Except in Gent–Wevelgem,” the Dane joked. However in that race Pedersen, despite his odd tactics, won comfortably after attacking with hours left to the race, pretty much pacing his entire way to the finish line in Wevelgem with a peloton chasing him behind.

Pedersen has finished second twice in Flanders, but besides the cobbled classics, he is on paper also perfectly adapted to Milano-Sanremo. This leads Holm to believe it's almost inevitable that he's going to take that big win some day. “I’d almost be surprised if he doesn’t win a Monument. He’s definitely getting close. There’s always a lot of tactics involved, and some luck, some bad luck. But I think he’s got the legs for it.”