VLORË, Albania (May 12, 2025) — Danish powerhouse Mads Pedersen has emerged as the dominant force in the historic Albanian opening of the 108th Giro d’Italia, claiming two stage victories in three days and twice donning the coveted maglia rosa, including after Sunday’s finish in Vlorë when he reclaimed the race lead from Slovenia’s Primož Roglič.
The Lidl-Trek rider and former world champion has written his name in the history books as the first Danish cyclist ever to wear the leader’s jersey in the prestigious Italian Grand Tour, while his team’s tactical mastery has repeatedly dismantled the hopes of pure sprinters on courses designed to favor versatile power riders.
“When you win, it’s usually because the plan went to perfection,” Pedersen said after his initial triumph, encapsulating the meticulous approach that has brought him such success in the race’s Albanian debut.
Stage 1: Pedersen Makes Danish History in Tiranë
The Giro’s first-ever visit to Albania began with a 160-kilometer route from Durrës to Tiranë on Friday, featuring enough climbing to shake up the peloton but not enough to deter the strongest sprinters. Pedersen’s Lidl-Trek team executed a flawless strategy, pushing the pace hard on the climbs to eliminate less versatile riders before the finale.
“Our exact plan was to push very hard on the climb and make it a smaller group for a sprint,” Pedersen explained after the finish. “You always have to be afraid of Wout van Aert, he’s a really good bike rider. It’s not given to win when he’s in the group. We had to handle that with respect and a bit of fear as well.”
The Danish powerhouse narrowly outsprinted Belgium’s Wout Van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Venezuela’s Orluis Aular (Movistar Team) to claim both the stage victory and the first maglia rosa—a historic achievement as no Danish rider had ever led the Giro d’Italia in its 108-year history.
“To win stage 1 and go in the maglia rosa is absolutely amazing,” said an elated Pedersen. “It’s incredible that the team worked that hard. I’m happy to pay them back with the win. It’s the first leader’s jersey I get in a Grand Tour, it’s something nice.”
The stage wasn’t without casualties, as Mikel Landa, a former podium finisher, and Geoffrey Bouchard, a previous King of the Mountains winner, both crashed out. General classification hopefuls Derek Gee and Thymen Arensman also lost valuable time that may prove costly in the overall battle.
Jersey Leaders After Stage 1:
- Maglia Rosa (Pink – General Classification): Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
- Maglia Ciclamino (Purple – Points Classification): Mads Pedersen (worn by Wout Van Aert)
- Maglia Azzurra (Blue – King of the Mountains): Sylvain Moniquet (Cofidis)
- Maglia Bianca (White – Best Young Rider): Francesco Busatto (Intermarché – Wanty)
For Cofidis, Sylvain Moniquet’s capture of the maglia azzurra represented a rare classification lead at the Giro—only the second time in team history after Staf Scheirlinckx briefly held the same jersey in 2006.
Stage 2: Young Tarling Triumphs as Roglič Takes Pink
Saturday’s compact but challenging 13.7-kilometer time trial entirely within Tiranë created a battle between youth and experience that ultimately saw both triumphant in different ways.
Joshua Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers, just 20 years old, powered through the technical course at an average speed of 51 kilometers per hour to claim victory, becoming the youngest-ever time trial winner in Giro history. However, the British rider’s margin was razor-thin—just one second ahead of Slovenia’s Primož Roglič, the 35-year-old Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe leader who is aiming to become the oldest-ever Giro champion.
“It’s a good way to start, it gives me confidence,” Tarling said after his victory was confirmed. “This time trial was a goal of mine from the start of season. It was stressful to watch the riders after me. Primož went fast and gained more uphill than I would have liked. It’s my first Grand Tour win, it stands on top of the list of my achievements so far.”
Australia’s Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates XRG) took third place, just three seconds behind Tarling.
Despite narrowly missing the stage win, Roglič’s performance was sufficient to claim the maglia rosa from Pedersen, mirroring his compatriot Tadej Pogačar’s achievement from the previous year when he also took the race lead on stage two. The Slovenian climber positioned himself as the man to beat in the general classification battle, though his advantage over Pedersen was a mere one second after just two days of racing.
The time trial maintained the status quo in the mountains classification, with Moniquet retaining the maglia azzurra for a second day, while the white jersey for best young rider transferred from Francesco Busatto to Mathias Vacek of Lidl-Trek, highlighting the team’s depth beyond their Danish leader.
Jersey Leaders After Stage 2:
- Maglia Rosa (Pink – General Classification): Primož Roglič (Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe)
- Maglia Ciclamino (Purple – Points Classification): Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
- Maglia Azzurra (Blue – King of the Mountains): Sylvain Moniquet (Cofidis)
- Maglia Bianca (White – Best Young Rider): Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek)
Stage 3: ‘Total Madsness’ as Pedersen Reclaims Pink
Sunday’s 160-kilometer stage from Vlorë back to Vlorë showcased both Albania’s scenic coastal beauty and Lidl-Trek’s tactical mastery, as the team once again manufactured ideal conditions for their versatile sprinter in what local media dubbed “Total Madsness.”
A strong breakaway animated much of the stage, featuring Dries De Bondt (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Lorenzo Germani (Groupama-FDJ), stage 2 winner Joshua Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers), Mark Donovan (Q36.5), Chris Hamilton (Picnic PostNL), and Alessandro Tonelli (Polti VisitMalta). The race proceeded without major incident, save for an unexpected appearance by a rogue goat that fortunately caused no crashes.
As the race approached the challenging Llogara Pass, Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana) seized the opportunity to claim the maglia azzurra from Moniquet with an aggressive ride on the climb, while Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) also attempted to disrupt the peloton’s rhythm. However, neither could prevent the inevitable as the descent and flat run-in neutralized any climbing advantages.
“I was also in doubt today about how hard the stage would be but we managed to race the way we wanted to,” Pedersen revealed afterward. “I’m in a good shape that we managed to keep from the classics until now. We also have to take into account that the first three days of the Giro in Albania suited me very well.”
The finish saw Pedersen outsprinting New Zealand’s Corbin Strong (Israel – Premier Tech)—achieving his best-ever Grand Tour result—and Orluis Aular, who matched his third-place finish from stage 1. The time bonuses propelled Pedersen back into the maglia rosa, now leading Roglič by nine seconds in the general classification, with young teammate Mathias Vacek holding third place, 14 seconds behind.
Jersey Leaders After Stage 3:
- Maglia Rosa (Pink – General Classification): Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
- Maglia Ciclamino (Purple – Points Classification): Mads Pedersen (worn by Alessandro Tonelli)
- Maglia Azzurra (Blue – King of the Mountains): Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana Team)
- Maglia Bianca (White – Best Young Rider): Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek)
Team Harmony Key to Success
The extraordinary teamwork displayed by Lidl-Trek has been a defining feature of the opening stages, with even general classification rider Giulio Ciccone sacrificing himself for Pedersen in the finale of stage three, throwing elbows left and right to clear space in the chaotic final kilometer.
“When Mads is in this kind of form, he doesn’t even need to ask – we sacrifice ourselves for him automatically,” Ciccone explained after shepherding his captain into the perfect position for the sprint.
Pedersen was quick to acknowledge the selfless work of his teammates, particularly highlighting the contribution of the 22-year-old Czech rider in the white jersey.
“Mathias Vacek is absolutely amazing,” Pedersen enthused in the post-stage press conference. “This kid has a big future ahead of him. I’ll do everything I can for him to have a stage win here, he’s a machine, he has done so much work for me in the classics, I’m proud to have this guy racing for me!”
The Dane also promised to return the favor when the race reaches terrain less suited to his abilities: “Ciccone doesn’t need to worry, I’ll return the favor in the mountains,” Pedersen noted with a smile.
Historic Achievements
With his two stage victories in Albania, Pedersen has already secured his place in Giro history as the first Danish rider to win multiple stages in a single edition. His career tally now stands at an impressive 52 professional victories, making him the most successful Danish rider of all time in terms of total wins.
He has also equaled Ole Ritter’s record of three Giro stage wins by a Danish rider, having previously triumphed in Naples during the 2023 edition. The last rider to achieve two stage victories in the first three days of the Giro was Elia Viviani in 2018.
Beyond Pedersen’s personal milestones, the race has also highlighted emerging talent. Strong’s second place represents the best-ever finish for a New Zealander in a Giro stage, though the nation still awaits its first stage win after Greg Henderson and Julian Dean both finished second in stages during the 2010 edition.
Looking Ahead
With 18 stages remaining and the race now bidding farewell to Albania after three spectacular opening days, Pedersen appears well-positioned to defend the maglia rosa through at least the next few flat stages, potentially until Stage 7 to Tagliacozzo. After that, the mountains will likely favor climbers like Roglič.
The Danish champion has already indicated his intention to shift focus toward securing the maglia ciclamino points classification once the mountains arrive, acknowledging the reality that pure climbers will eventually gain the upper hand in the general classification battle.
“I’m hungry for more,” he said. “I’ll do my absolute best to keep the maglia rosa tomorrow.”
The question remains whether Roglič and the other general classification contenders will be content to allow Pedersen’s dominance to continue in the coming days, or if they will seek to disrupt Lidl-Trek’s control before the race reaches more favorable terrain for the climbers.
Either way, the opening three days in Albania have set the stage for what promises to be a thrilling 108th edition of the Giro d’Italia, with the perfect blend of sprint finishes, time trial drama, and tactical intrigue already on display as the race prepares to continue its journey through Italy.
