'I'm staying with Lidl-Trek until my career is over' - Mads Pedersen commits long term to chase more Classics success

Giro d’Italia leader Mads Pedersen will stay with Lidl-Trek for the remainder of his career, the Dane and his team announced unexpectedly on Wednesday.

29-year-old Pedersen has produced some of the best form of his career in 2025, winning two stages of the Giro plus Gent-Wevelgem and finishing on the podium at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

Pedersen and Lidl-Trek made the announcement via a social media video, with Pedersen wearing the maglia rosa, drinking chocolate milk and reading the Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I have a new headline for you. I'm staying with Lidl-Trek until my career is over," Pedersen said. 

Having turned pro with the team, then known as Trek-Segafredo, in 2017, 29-year-old Pedersen will see out the rest of his career there, signing an indefinite contract to do so.

"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 an easy decision," Pedersen said.

"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."

Pedersen was world champion in 2019 and has developed into one of the best riders in the world with Lidl-Trek, winning stages at all three Grand Tours (eight and counting), and consistently challenging throughout the Classics, with three Gent-Wevelgem victories his standout spring results.

His main goal for the remainder of his time in the peloton will be adding a Monument victory to his current tally of 52 wins. He currently has five podium spots across Flanders and Roubaix and has finished in the top 10 five times at Milan-San Remo.

"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," he said.

"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."