Three stages into the 2025 Giro d’Italia, and Mads Pedersen
is already asserting himself as the standout riders of the race. With two
victories from the opening three days, the Danish Lidl–Trek rider reclaimed the
maglia rosa on Sunday and now appears to be in the form of his life.
Following his stage 3 triumph, Pedersen not only took back
the overall lead but also stretched his advantage in the points classification,
a key target for the former world champion. His commanding performances have
caught the attention of analysts and fans alike, including Eurosport’s Bobbie
Traksel and Jip van den Bos.
"He is slowly starting to have a street length lead in
the points classification, that is of course his biggest goal. In that respect,
things are going in the right direction," said Traksel.
So far, Pedersen has looked untouchable in the sprints, and
with few GC threats lurking in the current top ten, there appears to be little
danger to his grip on the pink jersey in the immediate stages to come.
"There is still so much more to come for Pedersen,
there is no real danger for the pink at the moment. If you look at the top ten
of the classification, you don't see any riders who will take bonus seconds
away from him in the sprints," Traksel continued.
It’s a sharp turnaround from pre-race discussions, which
focused heavily on whether Wout van Aert, now chasing form, could hold pink
into the second week. That narrative, according to Traksel, has quickly
shifted.
"Where we talked before the Giro about whether Wout van
Aert could keep the pink jersey until stage sixteen, we are now going to have
that conversation about this Mads Pedersen."
Jip van den Bos echoed the sentiment. "We can't ignore
him," she said. "With two stage wins and a super good time trial, it
can't be otherwise. But others at Lidl–Trek also stand out. For example, Daan
Hoole, who did so much work for his team this weekend."
Indeed, it’s not just Pedersen making headlines. Lidl–Trek’s
collective strength has played a key role in their early success. Traksel and
Van den Bos both praised the support around Pedersen, highlighting the role of
several teammates in delivering results.
"And also with Ciccone and Vacek in the final, and
Konrad and Verona who did a beastly job for Pedersen. He will finish it himself
and is therefore the man who deserves the pink."
Beyond performance, Pedersen continues to defy convention
with his preparation methods. "Pedersen is a special rider," Traksel
added. "For example, he never goes on altitude training, because he
doesn't believe in it. He just wants to ride a lot of races to race as much as
possible."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
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