A green jersey years in the making
Mads Pedersen ended the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées with the green points jersey safely on his shoulders.
The triumph was the reward for three weeks of aggressive racing, well-timed attacks and steady results. It also brought an end to several unsuccessful attempts to win one of cycling’s most recognisable jerseys.
For Pedersen, the podium ceremony carried as much emotional weight as the result itself.
One final battle in Paris
Pedersen entered the final stage with the points competition already secured, leaving him free to chase victory in Paris.
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He attacked on the Montmartre circuit and later fought his way back towards a select group containing Tadej Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel.
When Pogačar and Van der Poel moved clear on the final ascent, however, Pedersen was unable to follow their acceleration.
Van der Poel proves too strong
Pedersen joined the late pursuit as the leaders approached the Champs-Élysées. Van der Poel held on to win by a narrow margin, with his Alpecin-Premier Tech teammate Jasper Philipsen taking second and Pedersen finishing third.
According to Ritzau’s post-race report published by NI, Pedersen felt he had produced a respectable sprint but accepted that the Dutchman had been the strongest rider.
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“I rode a fairly sensible sprint, but Van der Poel was exceptional, and he is about as stylish a winner as you could want on the Champs-Élysées,” Pedersen said.
A podium worth waiting for
The disappointment of missing the stage victory quickly gave way to pride when Pedersen stepped onto the podium in green.
“After a couple of failed attempts, it feels special and wonderful. It is an exceptionally beautiful podium to stand on. Incredible,” he said.
As described by the Tour de France’s official report from the final stage, Pedersen completed the race as the winner of the points classification after another active performance in Paris.
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A rare Grand Tour achievement
The victory placed Pedersen among only six riders to have won the points classification at the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.
According to Eurosport’s review of the historic achievement, the other members of the group include Eddy Merckx, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Laurent Jalabert, Alessandro Petacchi and Mark Cavendish.
Pedersen previously won the Vuelta points jersey in 2022 and 2025, before adding the Giro title in 2025 and completing the set in Paris.
History is not the main motivation
Pedersen played down the importance of belonging to an exclusive statistical club.
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He joked that such achievements might provide a reason for a Christmas lunch, but said they were not what drove him to compete. The real target had been the green jersey itself, not the company it would place him alongside.
That response reflected the practical outlook that has followed Pedersen throughout his career. Records matter, but victories matter more.
No time for a long celebration
The Tour may be over, but Pedersen’s season is not.
Eurosport quoted him in its report on his remaining targets for 2026, where he pointed towards another Grand Tour and the road world championships as his next major goals.
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His attention will now turn from the streets of Paris to the varied terrain of Spain.
The Vuelta comes next
Pedersen is set to return to the Vuelta a España, where he has already enjoyed considerable success. Mattias Skjelmose has also featured in Lidl-Trek’s plans for the Spanish Grand Tour.
According to La Vuelta’s official 2026 route, the race begins in Monaco on August 22 and ends in Granada on September 13.
With the green jersey secured and his place in cycling history confirmed, Pedersen will head to Spain with confidence, form and another clear opportunity to win.
