Mads Pedersen won’t line up at Gent-Wevelgem, erm, sorry, In Flanders Fields – from Middelkerke to Wevelgem, after being sidelined by illness in the lead-up to Sunday’s race.
“Hi everyone, I have bad news about Sunday’s race,” he posted on Instagram. “I will not start because of illness. The past few days I have had a cold. On Friday, that certainly had an impact during the E3 Saxo Classic, so the medical staff for me decided to keep me out of In Flanders Fields to focus on the coming week.”
The former world champ made it clear the decision is precautionary.
Women’s Gent-Wevelgem preview: 4 Canadians lining up
“This has nothing to do with my wrist,” he said. “That recovery is going well, even better than expected. Of course, my arm muscles are a bit stiff because of the lack of exercise in recent weeks, but that’s nothing we have to worry about.”
The Dane ended up having a quicker-than-expected return to racing. He had a great ride at Milan-San Remo after a wrist fracture earlier this season at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. Pedersen just missed the podium–almost catching Wout van Aert who took a flyer on the Via Roma.
The Lidl-Trek rider followed a careful rehab, starting on the rollers before progressing outdoors, with training loads gradually increased. After he showed some solid numbers the team said, yup, it’s go time.
He should be fine for the remainder of the Classics, where he will undoubtedly be a force.
There are multiple Canadians racing on Sunday, too. Two men are racing, Nick Zukowksy and Guillaume Boivin. But in the women’s race, Canada has four women racing. You’ve national champ Alison Jackson and teammate Simone Boilard (St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93), Maggie Coles-Lyster (Human Powered Health) and Éloïse Camiré (Minimax Cycling Team) in the batte. Jackson and Coles-Lyster have been looking good lately, and could shine. Maybe Zukowsky will find himself in a break again? Dude seems to live out front recently.