Mads Pedersen withdraws from Vuelta, leaving sprinters field even thinner
CyclingSaturday, 03 August 2024 at 11:42
On December 15, 2023 (!), Mads Pedersen announced his preliminary schedule for the 2024 cycling season, which was to include two grand tours: the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. After dropping out of the French race with a small shoulder blade fracture, he has now also decided to skip the Spanish tour. The Dane is choosing an alternative program.
After his crash in the Tour, Pedersen, who won multiple stages and the points classification in the Vuelta two years ago, began a race against time to make the Paris Olympic Games. The strong rider recovered from his injuries in time and is set to lead the team in the Olympic road race in the French capital on Saturday.
Pedersen chooses different program, instead of Vuelta
After the Olympics, he will not head to the Vuelta a España as planned, which starts on August 17 in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. Instead, Pedersen will, just like last year, participate in a series of races including the Tour of Poland, Tour of Germany, European Championships in Belgian Limburg, Tour of Luxembourg, possibly the World Championships and Paris Tours. He confirmed this to Ekstra Bladet.
The Tour of Germany will be especially significant as main sponsor Lidl of Lidl-Trek is also the title sponsor of this race, starting from this year. Meanwhile, fellow countryman Mattias Skjelmose will defend Lidl-Trek's honor in the Vuelta a España, where Tao Geoghegan Hart may also start after missing the Tour de France.
With Pedersen's withdrawal, the sprinters' field in the Vuelta a España thins further, removing a key competitor for Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) in the points classification.
Il Lombardia 2024
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024