""When Kasper won Flanders, I was jealous" - Mads Pedersen discusses ambition to emulate Kasper Asgreen's Tour of Flanders win
Cycling
For many riders in the peloton, winning the Tour of Flanders
is more than just a career milestone, it’s a lifelong dream. For Mads Pedersen,
the former World Champion and star of Lidl-Trek, that dream burns brightly,
even as he admires the achievements of his fellow Danish rider and friend
Kasper Asgreen, who has already claimed victory in the cobbled classic.
"When Kasper won Flanders, I was jealous, because I
fucking want that too," Pedersen admitted on the podcast Forhjulslir,
making no attempt to hide his ambitions. "But I have so much respect for
Kasper winning Flanders, so I'll never neglect the fact that he achieved this
result. But if there's one thing I want, it's to do the same.
“To be honest, there is envy when the other person does
well. We both want to be the best cyclist, and we race against each other.”
Pedersen’s admiration for Asgreen’s victory at Flanders is fuelled
by many near misses, and the fact Mathieu van der Poel has a stronghold on that
race. The Tour of Flanders, with its brutal cobbled climbs and legendary status
in cycling, represents a race that perfectly suits Pedersen’s strengths as one
of the very best one day riders in cycling.
As a former winner of Gent-Wevelgem and
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, Pedersen has already proven his ability to succeed on
the cobbled roads of Belgium. Adding the Tour of Flanders to his palmarès is
something many cycling fans would love to see, as the man from Denmark has
already got stage wins at each grand tour to his name.
With the 2025 season on the horizon, Pedersen has made it
clear that he wants to win Flanders, and also Paris-Roubaix. But can he do it?
Can he emulate Kasper Asgreen’s win at Flanders from 2021? Or will Mathieu van
der Poel once again prove unstoppable in the spring?
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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