"Pedersen is a special rider” – Are we witnessing Mads Pedersen’s finest moment?

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."