The Giro d'Italia peloton suffered another loss on Friday morning ahead of the shortened stage 13 as maglia ciclamino contender Mads Pedersen dropped out of the race after falling ill overnight.
Pedersen's Trek-Segafredo team explained that the Dane, who won stage 6 in Naples, had come down with tracheitis. He's the 41st rider to leave the race, meaning 135 will take the start of stage 13 to Crans-Montana from the new start at Le Châble.
"Unfortunately, we have to report that Mads Pedersen won't take the start at today's stage of the Giro," Trek-Segafredo announced on Twitter. "Mads had a troubled night with a cough. He woke up this morning with a sore throat and tracheitis and is not fit to race. Heal up, Mads."
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Pedersen was a major contender for the points classification at the Giro and lay second overall in the classification following Thursday's stage 12 to Rivoli.
During the stage, which saw teammate Toms Skujins narrowly miss out on the win, he had been out in the breakaway, collecting 12 points at the day's first intermediate sprint to close to 24 points behind maglia ciclamino wearer Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious).
The 27-year-old, racing the Giro for the first time since 2018, completed a Grand Tour stage win triple in Naples, becoming the 105th rider in cycling history to take a stage victory at the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España during their career.
He also scored second and third places as well as two fourth places during the race. Pedersen's attention will now turn to the Tour de France in July, a race where he took a stage victory from the breakaway in Saint-Etienne last year.
Trek-Segafredo continue in the Giro d'Italia with six riders after climber Natnael Tesfatsion abandoned ahead of stage 11 with flu.
🚨 Unfortunately we have to report that @Mads__Pedersen won’t take the start at today’s stage of the #Giro. Mads had a troubled night with a cough. He woke up this morning with a sore throat and tracheitis and is not fit to race.Heal up, Mads 💪 pic.twitter.com/Hn6pgCWBaEMay 19, 2023
