Bad news for Jonas Vingegaard: his important helper Wout van Aert is out of the Tour de France.
How the Visma teamLease a bike announced two and a half weeks before the start in Barcelona, the Belgian is still suffering from an elbow injury and will not be fit in time for the Tour of France (July 4th to 26th).
“Huge disappointment”
“This is of course a huge disappointment”said van Aert: “The Tour de France is one of my main goals every year. Together with the team we have come to the conclusion that it is not possible to start the Tour in top shape. My focus is now on my recovery so that I can return later in the season.”
Infection at the wound on the elbow
Van Aert sustained the injury in a training crash before the tour Auvergne Rhone-Alpes drawn in. Nevertheless, the ParisRoubaix-Winner at the start. However, during the tour dress rehearsal, an infection developed in the wound on his elbow. Nevertheless, van Aert won the fifth stage, after which he dropped out.
Reef: “One of our most important drivers”
“Wout is one of our most important riders in the team. We would have liked to have him on the Tour. We looked at all options, but in the end health comes first”said Marc Reef, Grischa Niermann’s successor Head of Racing at the Dutch racing team. Vingegaard is missing an important helper in the duel with defending champion Tadej Pogacar. Who will replace van Aert will be announced at the team presentation on June 23rd.