Lotto-Intermarché unlucky Down Under: Van Eetvelt and Rutsch in hospital after crash, German rider out of race

It’s unclear exactly where the crash happened, but the facts are sobering. Van Eetvelt, who was considered among the contenders for overall victory, now has to abandon hopes of the leader’s jersey: he crossed the line 54th in the hilly second stage, 2 minutes 21 seconds behind UAE’s Jay Vine and Jhonatan Narváez. Rutsch finished last, two minutes behind the penultimate rider.

It’s a false start for the newly merged squad in Australia. After the stage, Lotto-Intermarché issued a statement. “Jonas Rutsch and Lennert Van Eetvelt were involved in a serious crash during the second stage of the Tour Down Under,” it read on the team’s social channels. “Both riders were taken to hospital for further checks.”

At the hospital, the extent of Rutsch’s injuries became clearer. “Rutsch has suffered multiple abrasions,” the team reported. A CT scan taken after the stage showed no fractures or internal injuries. But because of the nature of the crash, “Jonas will not start tomorrow.” Rutsch joined from Intermarché-Wanty this winter and finished sixth at Paris-Roubaix last year.

There was slightly more positive news regarding Van Eetvelt. “Lennert also suffered multiple abrasions. An MRI scan of his shoulder ruled out serious internal joint damage. A decision will be made tomorrow morning on whether he can start the third stage. We wish both riders a speedy recovery!”

Van Eetvelt has already had his fair share of bad luck in the past year. The Belgian crashed hard in the opening stage of the Tour de France, and earlier he had fallen at the Belgian National Championships. Those incidents combined forced him to miss the Vuelta a España and the entire autumn campaign. He had hoped for a 2026 with fewer setbacks, but the start has been far from encouraging.