Spring season at risk? Mads Pedersen suffers multiple fractures

A devastating blow for Mads Pedersen and Lidl-Trek. The 30-year-old Danish leader of the German team started his season on Wednesday afternoon in Ronda de Valencia, but crashed in the first stage. The verdict is harsh: Pedersen broke his left wrist and right collarbone. This puts the Dane's spring Classics at stake.

Pedersen was forced to abandon his race immediately after his crash and was taken to the hospital. Shortly before 10 p.m. on Wednesday evening, Lidl-Trek released an update on its leader. "Mads Pedersen suffered a fracture of the left wrist and right collarbone in the crash on day one at Volta Comunitat Valenciana, which will be operated on Thursday."

"The Team’s first priority is to ensure Mads gets the best care possible and the immediate focus will be on a successful recovery to minimise the disruption to his season goals. We will announce his return to racing in due course and will share any further updates only if necessary", Lidl-Trek states. It is unclear how long the Dane will be sidelined.

In December, Pedersen unveiled his plans for the 2026 season. His main goal was to win a Monument in the spring, a victory he has been chasing for years. After that, he will begin his preparations for the Tour de France, where he will be aiming for the points classification. Last season, he topped both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España in that classification.