Vuelta a España, Mads Pedersen throws in the towel

Bad news for Mads Pedersen fans and, obviously, for those who have him in their fantasy team: the Lidl-Trek rider has called it quits at the Vuelta a España , failing to show up for the start of stage 11 on Wednesday.

The 2019 world champion had looked like a shadow of his former self in the final stages, and doubts about his continued presence in the race had become increasingly pressing after Tuesday's dismal result, when he finished the stage 10th in fifth place from the back. A figure that, for a rider of his caliber, sounds like a real alarm bell.

Despite having repeatedly expressed his desire to finish the race to Granada, the final decision was to withdraw. "Unfortunately, Mads Pedersen will not take part in today's stage 11 of the Vuelta," reads a statement from the Lidl-Trek team. "After battling illness in recent days, Mads will now focus on a full recovery before turning his attention to his remaining goals for the season."

Speaking to Eurosport after stage 10, Pedersen himself admitted that illness had played a role, albeit a "partial" one, in his decline in performance, but hinted that it wasn't the whole story. The Dane himself seemed unsure of the cause of his difficult situation: "I really don't know what to say. My level isn't there right now—I'm not talking about my condition, which is good anyway, but something clearly isn't right," he said.

All eyes are now on the Road World Championships in Montreal , scheduled for September 27, toward which Pedersen, the 2019 world champion, is already focusing his energies. On Tuesday, before finally surrendering, the rider had hinted that the decision wasn't entirely in his hands: "It's not just me who has to make this decision. We'll see. Of course, I'd like to continue racing, but at some point it also has to make sense," he said.

A shame, considering that Pedersen had shown glimpses of his old brilliance in this Vuelta: second place on stage 8 and fourth on stage 2. But stage 10, finishing more than 10 minutes behind the winner in a stage that, at its best, could have given him the win, likely marked the point of no return. For those who play fantasy cycling, it's a clear sign: better look ahead, to Montreal, where Pedersen will undoubtedly want to make up for it.