'I heard a lot of places that I was done', Mads Pedersen ends drought with Tour de France stage 4 win and takes green jersey lead

'I heard a lot of places that I was done', Mads Pedersen ends drought with Tour de France stage 4 win and takes green jersey lead

Pedersen's first victory since the 2025 Vuelta a España came from a carefully planned breakaway on the road to Foix, giving him a commanding lead over Tadej Pogačar in the points classification.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 4 min read

Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) won stage 4 of the Tour de France from Carcassonne to Foix on Tuesday, his first victory since stage 15 of the 2025 Vuelta a España. The Dane sprinted clear of a reduced breakaway group in brutal heat to collect 50 points on the finish line, opening a 48-point lead over Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) in the green jersey classification.

Teammate Quinn Simmons finished second behind Pedersen, completing a Lidl-Trek one-two that reflected a stage executed almost exactly to plan. Another teammate, Mathias Vacek, took 10th.

Pedersen hadn't won since stage 15 of La Vuelta a España around 10 months ago, but he pushed back on that being a fair drought claim as he argues it should be from his first race of the 2026 season. "To say the last 10 months is maybe a bit too much," he said in the press conference after the stage. "We can talk from (Volta Comunitat) Valenciana after the crash until now. Of course, it was a tough comeback and we definitely pushed the limits to come back for the Classics." He pointed out that he still finished in the top 10 at all the spring Classics, even without converting any into a victory, before skipping the Belgian racing block to train harder and do more motor pacing in hot conditions.

"Some guys said it was stupid. I also heard a lot of places that I was done and I should just stop this season, I would not win anything," Pedersen said. "So it's nice to show them that they're definitely wrong and I can also prepare by training."

Pedersen took 16 points at the intermediate sprint, where Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) collected 25 and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) took 20. But the 50 points awarded for the stage win gave Pedersen a decisive buffer over Pogačar in the green jersey fight heading into the first sprint stage of the race.

Results

Carcassonne - Foix • Jul 7 • 181.9km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Mads Pedersen
LIDL-TREK4:10:45
🥈
Quinn Simmons
LIDL-TREK+0:00
🥉
Raul Garcia Pierna
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
4
Marco Frigo
NSN CYCLING TEAM+0:00
5
Ramses Debruyne
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+0:00
6
Kévin Vauquelin
NETCOMPANY INEOS+0:00
7
Sean Quinn
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+0:00
8
Torstein Træen
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:00
9
Pablo Castrillo Zapater
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:00
10
Mathias Vacek
LIDL-TREK+0:00
11
Michael James Matthews
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+2:27
12
Alexandre Delettre
TOTALENERGIES+2:27
13
Vlad van Mechelen
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+2:27
14
Jasper Stuyven
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+2:27
15
Alex Molenaar
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+2:27
16
Frank van den Broek
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:27
17
Georg Zimmermann
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+2:27
18
Quinten Hermans
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+2:27
19
Joel Nicolau Beltran
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+2:27
20
Ion Izaguirre Insausti
COFIDIS+2:27
21
Nico Denz
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+2:27
22
Romain Gregoire
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+2:27
23
Pascal Eenkhoorn
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+7:54
24
Alex Kirsch
COFIDIS+7:54
25
Brent van Moer
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+7:58
26
Jan Tratnik
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+7:58
27
Michael Valgren
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+7:58
28
Edward Planckaert
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+7:58
29
Ewen Costiou
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+7:58
30
Adam Richard Yates
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:59
31
Felix Grossschartner
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:59
32
Brandon Mcnulty
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:59
33
Tadej Pogačar
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:59
34
Isaac del Toro Romero
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:59
35
Toms Skujins
LIDL-TREK+12:59
36
Derek Gee
LIDL-TREK+12:59
37
Carlos Verona Quintanilla
LIDL-TREK+12:59
38
Juan Ayuso Pesquera
LIDL-TREK+12:59
39
Mattias Skjelmose Jennow Jensen
LIDL-TREK+12:59
40
Per Strand Hagenes
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:59
41
Edoardo Affini
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:59
42
Matteo Jorgenson
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:59
43
Jonas Vingegaard Hansen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:59
44
Davide Piganzoli
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:59
45
Victor Campenaerts
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:59
46
Sepp Kuss
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:59
47
Bruno Armirail
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:59
48
Tim Wellens
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:59
49
Daan Hoole
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:59
50
Paul Seixas
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:59
51
Aurélien Paret Peintre
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:59
52
Tiesj Benoot
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:59
53
Matthew Riccitello
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:59
54
Nicolas Prodhomme
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:59
55
Jai Hindley
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+12:59
56
Tim van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+12:59
57
Remco Evenepoel
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+12:59
58
Maxim van Gils
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+12:59
59
Mattia Cattaneo
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+12:59
60
Florian Lipowitz
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+12:59
61
Ben Healy
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:59
62
Richard Antonio Carapaz Montenegro
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:59
63
Alex Baudin
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:59
64
Max Walker
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:59
65
Kasper Asgreen
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:59
66
Matej Mohoric
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+12:59
67
Damiano Caruso
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+12:59
68
Antonio Tiberi
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+12:59
69
Lenny Sydney Martinez
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+12:59
70
Tobias Halland Johannessen
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:59
71
Anders Skaarseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:59
72
Jonas Abrahamsen
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:59
73
Anthon Charmig
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:59
74
Magnus Nielsen
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:59
75
Anders Halland Johannessen
UNO-X MOBILITY+12:59
76
Xabier Mikel Azparren Irurzun
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
77
Xandro Meurisse
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
78
Alfred Brockwell Wright
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
79
Thomas Pidcock
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
80
Mathis le Berre
TOTALENERGIES+12:59
81
Christopher Harper
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
82
Julian Alaphilippe
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
83
Yannis Voisard
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
84
Nelson Oliveira
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:59
85
Rick Pluimers
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
86
Cian Uijtdebroeks
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:59
87
Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda Hernandez
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:59
88
Thymen Arensman
NETCOMPANY INEOS+12:59
89
Michal Kwiatkowski
NETCOMPANY INEOS+12:59
90
Egan Arley Bernal Gomez
NETCOMPANY INEOS+12:59
91
Jordan Jegat
TOTALENERGIES+12:59
92
Ilan van Wilder
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+12:59
93
Tobias Svendsen Foss
NETCOMPANY INEOS+12:59
94
Louis Vervaeke
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+12:59
95
Ben Alexander O'Connor
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+12:59
96
Valentin Paret Peintre
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+12:59
97
Clément Russo
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+12:59
98
Aaron Murray Gate
XDS ASTANA TEAM+12:59
99
Lorenzo Germani
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+12:59
100
Guillaume Martin Guyonnet
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+12:59
101
Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia
XDS ASTANA TEAM+12:59
102
Harold Alfonso Tejada Canacue
XDS ASTANA TEAM+12:59
103
Jakub Otruba
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+12:59
104
Jenthe Biermans
COFIDIS+12:59
105
Hugo Page
COFIDIS+12:59
106
Sebastian Berwick
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+12:59
107
Tom van Asbroeck
NSN CYCLING TEAM+12:59
108
Jose Felix Parra Cuerda
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+12:59
109
Jenno Berckmoes
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+12:59
110
Lars Craps
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+12:59
111
Lennert van Eetvelt
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+12:59
112
Thibault Guernalec
TOTALENERGIES+12:59
113
Niklas Märkl
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:59
114
Frits Biesterbos
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:59
115
Robert Stannard
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+12:59
116
Javier Romo Oliver
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:59
117
Einer Augusto Rubio Reyes
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:59
118
Michel Heßmann
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:59
119
Warren Barguil
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:59
120
Quentin Pacher
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+12:59
121
Clément Braz Afonso
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+12:59
122
Jonas Rickaert
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+12:59
123
Silvan Dillier
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+12:59
124
Tim Marsman
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+12:59
125
Robbe Dhondt
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:59
126
Abel Balderstone Roumens
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+12:59
127
Felix Engelhardt
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+12:59
128
Emiel Verstrynge
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+12:59
129
Nils Politt
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:59
130
Marc Hirschi
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
131
Mauro Schmid
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+12:59
132
Nicolas Breuillard
TOTALENERGIES+12:59
133
Joris Delbove
TOTALENERGIES+12:59
134
Mathieu van der Poel
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+12:59
135
Krists Neilands
NSN CYCLING TEAM+12:59
136
Anthony Turgis
TOTALENERGIES+12:59
137
Baptiste Veistroffer
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+12:59
138
George Bennett
NSN CYCLING TEAM+12:59
139
Luke Durbridge
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+12:59
140
Matteo Vercher
TOTALENERGIES+12:59
141
Lucas Plapp
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+12:59
142
Damien Craig Howson
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
143
Simone Velasco
XDS ASTANA TEAM+12:59
144
Michael Storer
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:59
145
Benjamin Thomas
COFIDIS+12:59
146
Georg Steinhauser
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:17
147
Alex Aranburu Deva
COFIDIS+14:24
148
Nicolya Vinokurov
XDS ASTANA TEAM+14:50
149
Pavel Bittner
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+22:08
150
Julius van den Berg
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+22:08
151
John Degenkolb
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+22:08
152
Dorian Godon
NETCOMPANY INEOS+22:08
153
Max Kanter
XDS ASTANA TEAM+22:08
154
Mike Teunissen
XDS ASTANA TEAM+22:08
155
Stefano Oldani
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+22:08
156
Milan Fretin
COFIDIS+22:08
157
Florian Vermeersch
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+22:08
158
Lewis Askey
NSN CYCLING TEAM+22:08
159
Phil Bauhaus
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+22:08
160
Piet Allegaert
COFIDIS+22:08
161
Cees Bol
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+22:08
162
Søren Wærenskjold
UNO-X MOBILITY+22:08
163
Olav Kooij
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+22:08
164
Kamil Gradek
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+22:08
165
Davide Ballerini
XDS ASTANA TEAM+22:08
166
Fernando Gaviria Rendon
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA+22:08
167
Biniam Girmay
NSN CYCLING TEAM+22:08
168
Matis Louvel
NSN CYCLING TEAM+22:08
169
Thomas Jake Stewart
NSN CYCLING TEAM+22:08
170
Filippo Ganna
NETCOMPANY INEOS+22:08
171
Tim Merlier
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+22:08
172
Dylan van Baarle
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+22:41
173
Huub Artz
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+22:41
174
Bert van Lerberghe
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+22:41
175
Jasper Philipsen
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+22:41
176
Pascal Ackermann
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+22:41
177
Liam Slock
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+22:41
178
Joshua Michael Tarling
NETCOMPANY INEOS+23:29
179
Marco Haller
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+25:13
180
Matteo Trentin
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+25:13
181
Arvid de Kleijn
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+25:13

A stage identified weeks in advance

The victory was built on preparation by sports director Steven de Jongh. He drove the entire 182km route before the Tour and called Pedersen straight after to tell him it would be a day for the breakaway. "When he calls me and says, 'I believe this is going to be a breakaway day, and we're going to put as many guys as possible in the breakaway with you to win that stage,' of course I have to look deeper into it as well," Pedersen said. "It's never easy to make a plan and then execute it to perfection, especially not when bookmakers and everyone else tells you that you're the main guy who's going to win today."

In the finale, Simmons and Vacek shut down repeated attacks from Movistar, who had two riders in the lead group. "With Quinn and Mathias there, it was easier than being alone," Pedersen continued. "They could help each other to close down everything. And I also think that the other guys realised quite fast it would be tough for them to come away from this group with these two guys controlling everything."

Temperatures exceeded 43°C during the stage. Pedersen credited Lidl-Trek's cooling protocols with pre-race and in-race measures put in place to manage core body temperature. "Every team is really prepared for days like this," he said.

Pedersen dedicated the win to Luca Guercilena, the Lidl-Trek general manager who first signed him in 2017 and had supported him since his Danish ProConti team faced financial uncertainty a year earlier. "The trust he gave me, the support he always gave me, have been incredible," Pedersen said. "I promised him before the Tour I would give him a victory. I know that was a big promise, but it's nice and it's a relief to give it to him."

Guercilena is leaving the team to join RCS Sport's cycling group with Andy Schleck taking over as team boss.

Stage 5 of the Tour de France is the first chance for the pure sprinters and the first 70 point finish reward of the race, a tally that can flip the green jersey battle yet again, that is if Pedersen doesn't come out with the win in Pau.

Cover image credit: A.S.O / Thomas Maheux

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Tim Bonville-Ginn

Pro cycling contributor

Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked in cycling for well over a decade with his articles being featured across publications such as Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Cyclist, Rouleur, Eurosport, Road cc, Domestique, and more.

As well as writing, Tim has worked as a social media and press manager for professional teams Human Powered Health, Global 6, and Saint Piran across Europe as well as commentating on races such as the African Continental Championships, Tour de Feminin and multiple rounds of the British road and circuit series for Golazo and Monument Cycling.

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