Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma) has left the Tour de France without a stage win; the first time in his career he has ridden the race and not taken at least two victories. From the start of the race, Van Aert had said he may leave the race if his partner was about to give birth.
As it now looks like the couple's second child is about to be born, the Belgian rider has left the event without starting today's stage 18 to Bourg-en-Bresse. While he, frustratingly, did not add to his career tally of nine wins on the Tour, he has helped place team mate Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) in a seemingly unassailable position to win the race for the second time in Paris on Sunday.
Van Aert finished 2nd twice and 3rd twice on stages this year, though never got the win, the first time in five starts he has gone home winless. However, he had always said he would not stay on the event and miss the birth of his second child.
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"As everyone knows Sarah is pregnant," Van Aert said in a video statement released by Jumbo Visma. "In consultation with the team, we have decided that my place is at home. We have been seeing the doctor at home and he has assessed that labour is imminent.
“On the one hand it’s a strange feeling, but it’s not a dilemma. It’s an easy decision I always thought that I would go home when my wife indicated she needed me. That time has come.
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“I told the boys at dinner last night. I am delighted that they have all understood the decision and are 100 percent behind me. These seven guys will perform well for the rest of the Tour. Everything will be fine.”
Van Aert first rode the Tour in 2019, winning two stages before being forced out after an awful crash on the stage 13 TT. He returned in 2020 to win two more stages and took three victories in 2021. He followed up with three wins last year, when he was also 2nd four times, held yellow for four stages and won the points classification.
While looking forward to welcoming his second child, in his statement Van Aert also pointed to leaving the race with a sense of frustration at not being able to add another win, despite looking likely several times.
“I often had the legs to win the stage, but it didn’t happen,” he said. “It gives me mixed feelings. Results are one thing. How you feel on the bike is another. It was super good. The experience with the guys was excellent.
"To be able to fight for our goals again gave me morale. I look back on this Tour in a positive way. But I will always remember this Tour as the one where I called home every day and this is where I will leave the Tour.”
