Pedersen keeps improving every year, and Bakelants knows why: “He doesn’t have to give all of that up”

The leader of Lidl-Trek finished second in the Tour of Flanders and third in Paris-Roubaix. A puncture in the French cobbled classic meant he was unable to fight for victory, and that “what if?” still lingers. The immensely powerful Dane has even beaten Van der Poel before, in Gent-Wevelgem, but when it truly counts, he always seems to come up just short. Will that change in 2026?

Jan Bakelants has great admiration for the former world champion. According to the Belgian, the most striking thing about Pedersen is that he never stood out as a prodigy. “Mads Pedersen gets better every year,” Bakelants said to Sporza. . “He’s a very strong rider. I remember thinking after the 2019 World Championships: what just happened?”

Pedersen won the rainbow jersey in Harrogate in surprising fashion, even though he did not finish that season inside the top 100 of the UCI rankings. “Pedersen knows how to get things done and improves a little every year. He can also let go, and that’s something I miss with a lot of riders. They don’t think for themselves anymore. That ability has been lost because everything is outsourced.”

It is well known how involved Pedersen is in the entire process at Lidl-Trek. He is a leader in every sense of the word. Søren Kragh Andersen spoke last year about his compatriot’s approach: “He involves me and all the other riders around him in his project and in his ideas about planning and training.” Daan Hoole also experienced that same leadership and now bids farewell to his former captain with a heavy heart.

Pedersen takes the initiative within the team, meaning not only are his own performances refined down to the smallest details, but his domestiques also know exactly where they stand. His way of working, however, is not for everyone. “Honestly, I’d rather be a pro now than 15 years ago,” Bakelants laughs. “That academic way of thinking has become a plus, but many riders can no longer steer their own plan.”

“With Pedersen, that’s different. He knows what has worked in the past, and he doesn’t have to give all of that up just because some specialist at a university says so.” Pedersen will start his season in the Tour of Valencia, before moving on to the Tour de la Provence, Paris-Nice and Milan-Sanremo. As always, the focus will be on the Northern Classics.