Mads Würtz Schmidt
A versatile Danish rider who conquered the national road race before embracing the raw challenge of gravel cycling's expanding frontier.
Born 1994 (age 32)·Danish cyclist·Birthday: March 31·Millennials
Biography
Mads Würtz Schmidt won the Danish National Road Race Championships in 2021 with a perfectly timed attack on home roads, earning the coveted red and white jersey. He turned professional with Cult Energy and later rode for Katusha-Alpecin and Israel-Premier Tech. After the 2023 season, he stepped away from the WorldTour to join gravel racing. This pivot places him at the forefront of a growing segment of the sport, trading the structured peloton for self-supported long-distance events. His decade-long career on pavement was built on resilience and a powerful sprint from reduced groups.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Mads was born in 1994, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mads Was Born
The biggest hits of 1994
#1 Movie
The Lion King
Best Picture
Forrest Gump
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Mads's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1994Born
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1999Started school
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2007Became a teenager
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Could drive
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2012Could vote
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Turned 21
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2024Turned 30
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 32 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Danish National Road Race Championships in 2021.
- Competed in both the Giro d'Italia (2018) and the Tour de France (2019).
- Achieved a stage win at the Tour of Austria in 2019.
- Finished 2nd in the 2017 Danmark Rundt, a UCI 2.HC stage race.
Did You Know?
His younger brother, Mathias, is also a professional cyclist.
He won a stage at the 2015 Tour de l'Avenir, a prestigious race for young riders.
He represented Denmark at the UCI Road World Championships as an Under-23 rider in 2013.
His move to gravel racing in 2024 was with the specialized PAS Racing team.
“You have to be willing to suffer for the result, especially on the cobbles.”
