Mads Pedersen to miss 2025 Tour de France as Jonathan Milan leads Lidl-Trek’s sprint strategy

Mads Pedersen has decided not to participate in the Tour de France in 2025, opting for the Giro dโ€™Italia and Vuelta a Espaรฑa instead. This move shifts Lidl-Trek’s sprint focus to Jonathan Milan, who is set to lead their ambitions in July. Initially, there were discussions about both Pedersen and Milan heading to the Tour together, especially after their successful partnership in the Lidl-Deutschland Tour in 2024. However, the team has chosen to distribute their strengths across the three Grand Tours to aim for success in the points classifications.

Pedersen, a former world champion, explained his plans in a recent press conference, stating, “Until Roubaix, it’s a copy-paste of the other years, starting in France, training camp, Paris-Nice, and the Classics from there on. After that, I will have a smaller break because I’m going to the Giro this year.” This marks his fourth appearance at the Giro.

Jonathan Milan’s Tour de France debut

Pedersen confirmed Milan’s role, recognising that the Tour’s route, with seven potential sprint stages from Lille to Paris, suits the Italian sprinter well. Pedersen remarked, “The course of the Tour fits Johnny [Milan] really well. For me, he’s one of the best sprinters in the world, if not the best sprinter, and of course, he should go to the Tour with that amount of sprint stages.”

Milan, now 24, has rapidly made a name for himself among the fastest sprinters globally, alongside Jasper Philipsen and Tim Merlier. His recent achievements at the Giro, where he quadrupled his stage wins from one to four and defended his ciclamino points jersey, have boosted Lidl-Trek’s hopes for multiple stage wins at the Tour.

Pedersen acknowledged, “It’s not a single decision by me. We are a big team now, and we have a lot of big riders, and the team have big goals in all the Grand Tours.” He admitted that it wasn’t an easy decision for him, but he sees the potential in Milan leading the team to several stage victories, adding, “I think that’s the right decision it’s a lot easier to win, dream scenario, three, four stages with him than it is with me.”

Pedersen’s Giro and Vuelta ambitions

Pedersen’s journey with Grand Tours began at the Giro in 2017. He’s set to chase stage wins and defend the points jersey, which Milan secured in 2024, before his second appearance at the Vuelta later in the summer. During his first Spanish Grand Tour, he claimed three stage wins and the green jersey.

“I always like the Giro. My first and second Grand Tour was there. It’s hard racing, maybe a bit too shitty weather sometimes. But that’s not the fault of the race. It’s more, you know, the timing of the year,” said Pedersen. “But I do really like the Giro and we come with big ambitions to win as many stages as possible, and also the points jersey. Jonny did superb in 2024 and I will, of course, try to do the same as him in 2025.”

As Pedersen gears up for the Giro, cycling fans can look forward to his efforts to maintain his form for the Sprint Challenge Copenhagen and the national championships shortly after.