“We try our absolutely best to win again today” – Can Mads Pedersen continue red hot form on Giro d’Italia stage 4?

After winning two of the first three stages at the 2025 Giro d’Italia, Mads Pedersen is looking to make it three from four as the race heads into its first truly flat stage. The Danish rider will line up today in the maglia rosa, aiming to defend both his race lead and his dominance in the points classification.

Pedersen has already shown his versatility by winning two reduced sprints, but today is a different kind of test: a pure sprinter’s stage. Speaking to Cycling Pro Net before the start, the Lidl–Trek rider was clear about what to expect.

"Yeah, for sure it's going to be a sprint, it's quite obvious. You know, it's a full flat day and there [are] so many sprinters here as well. So I think they're really committed to make this a sprint, and that's also perfect. You know, I can give most of my guys a bit of a break today. They did really well in the first three days, so yeah, ideal for us to have a sprint already now."

Despite already claiming two victories and wearing the leader’s jersey, Pedersen has no intention of easing off. Asked whether his early success might lead him to take fewer risks in the sprint, he was emphatic.

"No, no. I'm here to win as much as possible. You know, the race just started, and if we already now start to back off and say, ‘No, it's okay, we have already two victories,’ and so on, that's not what we're here for, you know. So we try our absolutely best to win again today."

He’s aware that today’s stage may pose a greater challenge than the first three. "We know it's going to be really tough. We have faster sprinters than me here, so it's going to be a challenging one. But yeah, we have to do it also for the points for the Chiclamino."

While Pedersen has been proudly wearing the pink jersey, there was one detail missing from the look, full pink kit. "I'm a bit disappointed in you, full on pink but socks and shoes?" a reporter joked. Pedersen replied: "If they gave it to me, it would have been ready, but it wasn't here. So otherwise, it would have been full pink already!"

Racing through Italy in the maglia rosa is a special experience, and Pedersen is fully embracing it. "It was amazing to get the jersey for the TT, but it's of course special to wear it on the road stage. And then in Italy, it's going to be an incredible day and for sure one I will remember for a long time."