Van Aert needs "intensive care" after crash where disaster also struck in 2021 | Video

Wout van Aert looked like he was dazed and in a lot of pain after his Vuelta crash and now the outlook for his late season plans remains unclear (Photo: Unipublic Cxcling-Toni Baixauli)

Wout van Aert (Visma Lease a Bike) did not suffer any fractures during his Vuelta stage 16 crash on Tuesday, medical checks in hospital have confirmed.

However, the Belgian rider - who won three stages on the race and led the points and mountains classifications - suffered a very severe injury to his right knee when he crash against a wall at the roadside on a wet descent.

His team has said he will need intensive medical care for that injury. In a brief medical update, the team was unable to put any timeframe on his return to racing after being forced out of the race yesterday in the incident with about 50km to go.

"Wout van Aert has not suffered any fractures from his crash in La Vuelta," Visma Lease a Bike said in a short update issued in the early hours of Wednesday after the rider had been taken to hospital following the crash on the stage to Lagos de Covadonga.

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"The three-time stage winner had to withdraw due to severe knee pain caused by a deep wound. That wound requires intensive care. Wout will travel back to Belgium to continue his recovery."

Van Aert had just come back to what looked like top form after completing the Tour de France following a rehabilitation for multiple broken bones suffered in another high speed crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen back in late March.

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He was in fine form on La Vuelta, winning three stages and climbing very impressively. But now his crashing out is a major set-back, especially as he was looking ahead of the European Road Championships in Limburg and the World Road Championships in Zurich.

The crash yesterday appeared to happen at the same location where Odd Christian Eiking crashed on stage 17 of the 2021 Vuelta while leading the race. The then Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux rider was among several falls that day, when he lost the race lead.

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