Cycling superstar Wout van Aert from Team Visma-Lease A Bike suffered a setback a few days before the Tour de France started.
The multiple stage winner at the Tour de France had to cancel the national championships in his Belgian homeland on Sunday. His team indicated as the reason.
“Wout developed illness symptoms on Saturday evening. After a medical examination in the morning, the decision was made that he would not start during the race,” said his team on Sunday.
The 30-year-old cycling star last secured the national championship title in Belgium in 2021. The multiple cyclocross world champion has an important role in Team Visma-Lease A Bike when it comes to leading the classification drivers to the overall victory. At this year’s Giro d’Italia, he helped Simon Yates to victory, at the upcoming Tour de France (5th to 27th July) Jonas Vingegaard is said to benefit.
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The multiple tourist winner Jens Voigt recently said in the podcast “The Cycling Dane” that Wout van Art was a key factor for Visma-Lease a bike at this year’s France loop.
Wellens wins in front of Evenepoel and Philipsen
In the meantime, other cycling stars were able to distinguish themselves on Sunday. Tim Wellens secured the championship title, who crowned a solo ride over 40 kilometers long. Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel and Jasper Philipsen were lined up behind them. In the end, Wellens was 38 seconds ahead of Evenepoel.
National championships also took place in Germany, Italy and Great Britain on Sunday. In the Palatinate, Georg Zimmermann crowned himself for the first time in his career. “I have three goals in my career and today I ticked off,” he cheered in the “SWR”. In addition, he also strives to win a stage at the Tour de France.
In Italy, the amateur driver Filippo Conca has caused one of the biggest surprises in the 140-year history of the Italian road bike championships. The 26-year-old prevailed after 228.8 km in Friuli against the stars of the cycling nation.
In Great Britain, Samuel Watson won the race ahead of Visma driver Matthew Brennan.