'I'd rather ride at 170 bpm' - Mads Pedersen refuses to be overtaken by amateurs after difficult offseason return

Pedersen recently got back on the bike after his offseason break, and the first outing was a painful reminder of how quickly the legs can lose their racing sharpness.

"It was hard. Your heart rate is just really high," Pedersen said on the Lang Distance Podcast, having completed his first training ride the previous day.

The Dane explained that he tends to fall into the same trap every winter, trying to get back into shape while still approaching his rides as though he has the fitness he enjoyed during the racing season.

"You've put on a bit of weight, so you need to lose some weight and start cycling again," he explained.

"When you're in shape, you can ride for two hours with a bit of sugar in your bottle and everything is fine."

Pedersen admitted that his attempts to lose the extra weight have previously led him to head out with only water in his bottles, only to discover that his fitness is not yet up to the task.

"I make the same mistake every year. The first three or four rides, I completely blow up."

This year, however, he intends to learn from those experiences and take food with him to avoid another difficult outing.

There is another challenge, though. Pedersen's training routes begin with climbing, making it difficult to keep the effort under control.

"The problem is that down here, I start by going uphill. I can't ride at 220 watts. Just to keep a bit of speed on the bike, I'm doing 250 to 270 watts," he explained.

His competitive instincts are not helping either. When his co-host suggested that he could not possibly allow himself to be overtaken by amateur cyclists, Pedersen did not disagree.

"I'd rather ride with a heart rate of 170," he laughed.

"I'm sitting there gasping for air, but as soon as I pass them, I close my mouth, shift into an easier gear and just pedal at a higher cadence," Pedersen explained.

"Then, as soon as I get around the next corner, I open my mouth again and start gasping for air."

Pedersen is not the only big name struggling with the return to training.

Tom Pidcock expressed similar frustrations this week after resuming his preparations in Andorra, describing the experience in a video shared on Instagram.

"Man, I hate being unfit," Pidcock said, as previously reported by Domestique.

"No wonder everyone thinks that cycling is hard, if this is what it's like to be unfit on a bike."

For both riders, the first week back on the bike have offered an uncomfortable reminder of the work that lies ahead before the 2027 season.

Earlier in the podcast, Pedersen also discussed the controversial finish to the women's European Cyclocross Championships, where Marie Schreiber crossed the line first but was relegated behind Lucinda Brand for deviating from her sprinting line.

Pedersen felt the punishment was severe and sympathised with both riders.

"It's a bit harsh. I can agree with that. It really is a bit harsh," he said.

"Imagine being in that situation, both for the rider who crosses the line first and for Lucinda, having to explain afterwards that you've won in that way."

Pedersen pointed out that Brand herself had acknowledged the uncomfortable circumstances surrounding her victory.

"She says it herself. It really sucks. That's not how she wanted to win."