Milan may have to take a step back at Lidl-Trek after winning the green jersey, as Pedersen could be preferred for the Tour

Due to the large number of sprint opportunities in the Tour de France, Milan was sent there. That turned out to be a good move, as the Italian won two stages and the green jersey. However, it also forced Pedersen to put his green dream on hold. But he will never give up on that goal, and it won't be easy to prevent him from starting in Barcelona.

That is something even sports director Kim Andersen knows, who sees the luxury problem at Lidl-Trek as a real issue. “It's no secret that the green jersey is also a goal for Mads,” he tells Feltet. “But he also has a few more years under his belt than Milan. They can't race together if Mads is also going for the green jersey.”

Pedersen's compatriot would ideally send the two top riders to France together, but it is unlikely that Pedersen will ride in support of his teammate in the sprinter stages. “On the flat stages, he will be the best lead-out in the world for Johnny, but then he can't race for points as normal, even though the stages aren't 100% made for him. At the moment, it's not working.”

So Andersen's statement is clear: Pedersen and Milan cannot go to the Tour de France together. What will the division be in 2026? Perhaps Milan will return to the Giro d'Italia after a year of absence in his home country. Pedersen dominated there this year, but is eagerly hoping for a return to France. “Of course he wants to return to the Tour,” Andersen confirms.

And the route of the Tour is not bad at all for the Danish star. His team leader sees good opportunities, especially in the first week. ‘It looks good. He can make a fantastic start, if that’s the case. We have already shown a few times that team time trials are going very well. And then there is a tough second stage, which could suit him well.”

Further on in the three-week race, it becomes more of a sprinters' party, where Pedersen typically has to concede defeat. “There are also four pure sprint stages, and then there are two stages that could be a sprint or a breakaway. But I don't see the last stage as a sprint stage. We've seen this year that it's going to be too divided.”