Wout van Aert at the Tour Auvergne Rhône Alpes last week, sporting a bandage over the wound that became infected, forcing him out of the Tour de France (Photo: Gaëtan Flamme)
Wout van Aert will not ride the Tour de France due to a training ride crash and complications that followed. The news is a major blow to his team mate, Jonas Vingegaard, who will be trying to win the race for the third time with Visma-Lease a Bike.
Now that Vingegaard is back to his best, after winning the Giro, and the Tour's defending champion, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) has had an incident-free approach to the Tour, cycling fans are expecting the most evenly matched battle between them for several years.
However, Van Aert would have been a major asset for Vingegaard, on almost all terrain, and his confirmed absence from the Tour this year is a really significant setback for the Danish rider and the team, not to mention for Van Aert himself.
Advertisement
“Wout is one of the most important riders in our team and we would obviously have loved to have him at the start of the Tour," said Visma Lease a Bike race coach Marc Reef.
"In recent days we have explored all options, but ultimately his health comes first. With the recovery process required, it is not possible for him to reach top form in time for the Tour de France.
"It is unfortunate that he will not be there, but we are convinced this is the right decision for his recovery and the rest of his season.”
Related News
Van Aert suffered a training crash just days before the recent Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (2.UWT), and though he went on to win a stage on that race, he was way off his best and withdrew with three stages remaining.
His team explained today, Wednesday, that "during the race, an infection unexpectedly developed in the wound on his elbow, forcing him to abandon".
"This week, the wound was cleaned again in hospital, and he also spent one night under observation in hospital," the team's statement added.
"After consultation between Van Aert, the medical staff, and the performance coaches of Visma-Lease a Bike, it has been decided that full recovery is the priority and Van Aert’s health comes first. For this reason, he will not be included in the selection for the Tour de France."
Van Aert won a final stage Tour stage for the ages last year and this year has won Paris-Roubaix, said it was "a big disappointment" to miss the Tour de France.
“The Tour de France is one of my main goals every year. Unfortunately, a crash during training has put a spanner in the works, and the injury to my elbow has worsened and has still not healed sufficiently," he said.
"Together with the team, we have concluded that starting the Tour in top form is not feasible at this point. My full focus is now on my recovery so I can return to my best level later this season.”
