Mads Pedersen, the defending champion of the Etoile de Bessèges, had to withdraw from the race after suffering gastrointestinal problems during the opening stage. He struggled on both the first and second stages, finishing 129th and 141st respectively. Despite hopes for recovery, he is focusing on next week's Tour de La Provence, where he will aim to defend his title. Lidl-Trek now lacks a leader but still fields strong racers for upcoming sprints and hill stages. Pedersen aims for his first Monument victory in 2025, particularly targeting Paris-Roubaix, where he has shown promise in past events.
Following his gastrointestinal trouble on Stage 1, Mads will not take to the start of today's Stage 3 of Etoile de Bessèges.
Pedersen hoped to recover on the second day and compete in the predicted sprint finish, however, he was again absent in the final and finished 141st, 6:03 down on the leaders.
Collection
[
|
...
]