Vuelta a España: Mads Pedersen is already preparing for life after his cycling career

For Mads Pedersen (Lidl - Trek), the Vuelta a España It hasn’t quite gone to plan so far. The Dane is actually one of the strongest sprinters in the peloton, particularly on climbs, but has not yet been in contention for a stage win at this year’s Vuelta a España. Whilst other riders have already had reason to celebrate, the former world champion is still waiting for his own personal highlight.

Plenty of laughs off the racetrack

Nevertheless, Pedersen doesn’t seem to be letting it spoil his good mood. On the contrary: off the track, the 30-year-old has now provided a particularly entertaining moment that quickly went viral on social media.

A video shows Mads Pedersen taking his seat in the driver’s seat of the Lidl-Trek team bus. Under the watchful eye of the bus driver, the Dane is allowed to manoeuvre the large team bus. Throughout, he receives regular instructions and tips from the professional, who is keeping a close eye on things to ensure nothing goes wrong whilst he’s manoeuvring.

For his team-mates and the onlookers, the spectacle was a real eye-catcher. After all, steering a team bus weighing several tonnes is not exactly one of the usual tasks of a professional cyclist. Pedersen, however, came across as surprisingly relaxed and seemed to be visibly enjoying the unfamiliar challenge.

Mads Pedersen: a fan favourite through and through

This scene shows once again why Mads Pedersen is so popular in the peloton. For years, the Dane has been regarded as down-to-earth, good-humoured and always up for a laugh. Even though the Vuelta hasn’t quite gone to plan for him so far in sporting terms, he’s certainly providing plenty to talk about off the bike.

And who knows: if it takes a while longer to secure the next stage victory, Pedersen seems to have already come up with an initial idea for life after cycling. In any case, he has already clocked up his first few metres as a bus driver.