Mads Pedersen’s latest withdrawal sets off alarm bells ahead of the Tour of Flanders - “It’s crap”

The absence of Mads Pedersen from In Flanders Fields - From Middelkerke to Wevelgem 2026 has sparked notable concern across the cycling world. The Dane will not start this Sunday due to illness, a setback arriving at the worst possible time, just as he fine-tunes for his major spring targets.

The Lidl-Trek rider had already been managing physical issues after an early-season crash that left his wrist banged up. Now, this new problem further complicates his roadmap towards key dates such as the Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix.

The situation has not gone unnoticed by authoritative voices like former rider Per Bausager, who did not hide his concern when assessing the ex-world champion’s moment: “It’s crap. He doesn’t have time to spare. If he had raced Provence and Paris–Nice and the full programme, skipping one race might not matter as much, but he needs to recover.”

The Danish expert highlights the lack of margin in the calendar and how this setback can directly affect his performance in the cobbled Monuments. He also leaves the true extent of the illness up in the air: “I don’t think he’ll be at 100% for the Tour of Flanders. I doubt it. It all depends on something we don’t know. Does he have a fever?”

In that sense, he insists the problem goes beyond missing a race.“If he’s ill enough to pull out of the race, he can’t complete a full training session either.”

The 2026 campaign is proving especially demanding for Pedersen, who had placed much of his ambition on the cobbled classics block. Between injury and illness, his build-up has taken several hits that force a reset of expectations at a key moment in the calendar.

Even so, Bausager believes the impact will not be mental. "Psychologically, nothing affects him. I think he believes it’s crap, but that doesn’t dent his self-confidence or his fighting spirit."

And he adds about his competitive character. "He’s very good at moving on from this kind of thing, but clearly he’ll be cursing and ranting."

Despite the adverse context, there are reasons for optimism. Pedersen himself turned in a solid ride at E3 Saxo Classic, finishing ninth. A result that gains extra weight after it emerged he raced while ill.

Bausager reads it as a clear sign his baseline condition remains high. "If someone had told me 14 days ago that he’d be fourth in Sanremo and ninth at E3… If he can finish ninth at E3, all the better."

And he concludes with a thought that keeps hope alive around the Dane. "That shows his fitness and engine are where they need to be."