“We try our absolutely best to win again today” – Can Mads Pedersen continue red hot form on Giro d’Italia stage 4?
Cycling
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."
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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."
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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- big rival … ridiculous.Ketterechts07-11-2026
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MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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