Loyal from the Start: Pedersen’s Journey with Trek Since 2017
Ever since a fresh-faced Mads Pedersen burst on the WorldTour scene in 2017 he has been racing under the Trek banner. From Trek-Segafredo to Lidl-Trek, Pedersen has been steadfast in his commitment to the team. Now, after reflecting on his future, Pedersen has decided he can’t imagine racing for anyone else, making it official that he will remain with Lidl-Trek for the rest of his professional career.
A Proven Champion with Trek: From Early Wins to World Tour Success
Pedersen, the current leader of the Giro d’Italia, has enjoyed a storied career within the Trek family. In his first season with the team he already showed an indication of his versatility to come, with victories at the Danish road race championships before time trial and GC victory in Poitou-Charentes ahead of the overall win at the Tour of Denmark.
In Peak Form: Pedersen Targets More Grand Tour and Monument Success
Fast-forward nine years and Pedersen is in the form of his life, and has no intention of slowing down. With 52 professional wins to his name, including a World Championship, stages in each Grand Tour, and multiple classics, the Dane continues to set ambitious goals. Currently, he wears the Maglia Rosa as the leader of the Giro, and has a healthy lead in the points classification, after winning two of the first three stages. However, he’s not content to sit back and look at what he’s achieved so far – he’s hungry for more, starting with more Giro stages and the Ciclamino jersey.
Pedersen on Staying with Lidl-Trek: “It Was an Easy Decision”
Reflecting on his decision to commit to Lidl-Trek, Mads Pedersen said:
Taking the decision to stay with Lidl-Trek for the remainder of my career was for me quite easy, actually. Since I joined in 2017, I always felt super welcome and supported by everyone here. Every time my contract was up for renewal, it was easy to make the decision to stay. Also, because I really like everyone who’s working within the team. Every time it was easy decisions.
“I always had full commitment from the team and they always had confidence in what I was doing, and had confidence in me being the best I can be. When you get that belief from a team manager and the performance group and staff and so on, it’s easy to make the decision to remain with this team. And now we ended up in a situation where I stay here for my whole WorldTour career. That’s obviously something I’m really proud of — making a bit of history with Trek. It’s such an honor to have the team’s backing to do this. This team has become like a second family to me, and every time I show up for a race, a training camp, or any team activity, I feel genuinely at home.
Future Goals: Monuments, Mentorship, and Winning More
My hope for my next years of my career is for sure to win this Monument I keep fighting for, and I really believe, with the support from this team, it will be possible within the upcoming years before my career ends. So, that’s definitely one of my biggest goals for the next years, and in general I just want to win as much as possible, but at the same time I want to be a good leader and try to help new riders who are on the way up.
Team Reaction: Lidl-Trek Hails Pedersen’s Leadership and Legacy
Luca Guercilena, General Manager of Lidl-Trek, commented:
Seeing Mads grow into the rider he is today has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. From day one, it was clear that he was special. He’s not just a phenomenal talent on the bike; he’s also a leader who inspires those around him. You can see it when he races; he gives everything for the team, and his teammates give everything back.
“I have zero doubt that Mads will keep pushing himself and his teammates until the day he decides to hang up his wheels,” Guercilena added. “His loyalty and dedication to this team have helped to shape the culture of Lidl-Trek, and we’re incredibly proud to have him with us for the long haul.
