Quinn Simmons has no interest in a ‘drag race’ against Van der Poel and Pogačar, while riding for Pedersen

In 2025, Simmons claimed his first WorldTour stage win and came within touching distance of a podium in Lombardy. It felt like the start of a long-awaited rise from the talented American. In Il Lombardia, the Lidl–Trek rider attacked from the gun: Simmons spent 238 kilometres out in front of the peloton. In the end, the climber came up just 25 seconds short of the podium, but he certainly put himself even more firmly on the map.

His first big goals for this season are no secret either. On 7 March, Simmons will lead Lidl–Trek at Strade Bianche. A month later, he will travel to the Netherlands for his second major target: the Amstel Gold Race. For now, the American is staying away from the Belgian spring Classics.

“The reason for skipping the Belgian Classics is simple,” he explained on the Watts Occurring podcast with Luke Rowe and Geraint Thomas. “There’s currently no place for me in the team. Mads Pedersen is the rightful leader and he likes having a squad that can fully support him. I don’t want to sacrifice my entire build-up for Amstel for a drag race to the Kwaremont,” Simmons said with a laugh.

Paris–Roubaix is also a race Simmons is more than happy to avoid. “The risk is so high — it’s genuinely dangerous. Realistically, I’m never going to win anyway, and I don’t have the balls to throw myself over the cobbles for a top-10 place,” Simmons said firmly. So American fans should not get their hopes up too much about seeing him on the start list in Roubaix any time soon.

Asked whether he knows how Lidl–Trek can beat Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel in the biggest one-day races, Simmons still sounded optimistic. “Pedersen believes he can beat those two on a good day. The team believes that as well and will do everything to keep Mads in the best possible position at the front. It’s obviously going to be difficult.”

The 2028 Olympic Games will take place in the United States, Simmons’ home country. Los Angeles 2028 is therefore a major long-term goal for the American. “Everyone wants to be Olympic champion — especially when it’s in your home country. I know the course and I’ve ridden there before,” Simmons said enthusiastically.

Simmons also believes in both his own chances and those of Team USA. “If everyone is fit, the United States has a really strong team now. We just don’t have the depth that a lot of other big countries have, so for us it’s even more important that everyone is in shape. I have full confidence we can do something special on home soil.”

Remarkably, LA 2028 is not the only Olympic dream on Simmons’ wish list. The American ski fanatic is also dreaming of making it to the Winter Olympics after his cycling career, in ski mountaineering. “I love skiing. This new discipline at the Winter Olympics is focused on a short, hard effort uphill — that should suit a top athlete like me. I already have the technique from skiing when I was younger.”