"He is back in training" - Mads Pedersen has recovered from his illness and plans to defend his Tour de la Provence title

Mads Pedersen will be back in action this Friday at the Tour de la Provence! The Lidl-Trek rider was clearly out of character at the Etoile de Besseges and subsequently abandoned the stage race. Even before the strike over safety concerns by most foreign teams withdrew half of the startlist in the next stage.

On stage 1, which he won in 2022 and finished second in 2023, Mads Pedersen was nowhere near the front. He finished 129th, which was later revealed to have been caused by stomach problems. When the symptoms didn't get any better during second stage, the Dane was forced to abandon the race early.

But now there are finally some good news for the Dane, it seems: "He is back in training, and the plan is for him to be ready for Provence," Lidl-Trek informs Feltet.dk.

Pedersen had the same schedule at the start of last season and he pretty much dominated the renewed French 2.1 stage race taking three out of four stages as well as general classification title. Whether is the 29-year-old truly fit will quickly become clear on the first day with a hard opening stage from Marseille to Saint-Victoret which several hard climbs from the get-go on Friday, including an 11-kilometer Col de l'Espigoulier after just 35 kilometers of up and down profile.