Cycling team Israel-Premier Tech has withdrawn from Sunday’s Tour of Flanders. The team of Belgian rider Sep Vanmarcke only has two fit riders left.
,,I can name a very long list of riders who are either injured after a fall or who are sick in bed. For the Ronde I now only had two fit riders left. We have contacted the organizers and explained our situation. Starting in Antwerp is therefore not an option,” said sports director Dirk Demol.
,,How to proceed now? Getting sick and counting on the boys who are gradually coming out of their rehabilitation process. I hope that in Paris-Roubaix we will be back at full strength in terms of our ‘cobblestones’. We now have to bite through this extremely sour apple, but hopefully we will come back stronger from this black period.”
Vanmarcke had to cancel for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last month due to illness.
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