Koen Bouwman forced to leave Giro d’Italia a day after teammate Luke Plapp’s victory

Bouwman was also in the breakaway on Saturday and finished in 64th place after helping Plapp, but during the night, he fell ill, and it was decided that it would be irresponsible for him to continue. "We’re sorry to see you leave Koen; get well soon," the team said.

Therefore, the Dutchman will not be able to build on his success in the 2022 Giro, when he won two stages and the mountain jersey. Bouwman switched from Visma | Lease a Bike to Jayco AlUla last winter for more opportunities to ride for himself. Still, after a lingering injury in the spring, this is already the second setback he has had to deal with.

Nevertheless, he showed good form in the Tour of the Alps, finishing fourth in the final stage. During the Giro, his contribution to Plapp's success was his best performance.