Motivated Wilco Kelderman on leading Visma at Tour de Suisse, Giro frustration & Tour de France hopes
Cycling
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleWilco Kelderman is already back in action for Visma | Lease a Bike. The 35-year-old Dutchman crashed heavily during the opening weekend of the Giro d'Italia. He fought through the pain for a day and a half, but it later turned out he had been riding with a broken collarbone. Following a swift recovery period, Kelderman spoke to IDL PRO Cycling and AD in the mixed zone during the Tour de Suisse team presentation. And he's already eyeing new objectives.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kelderman actually made his competitive return back on 10 June at the Circuit Franco-Belge, where he aimed to challenge for the victory alongside Matthew Brennan. With 70 kilometres remaining, Kelderman went on the attack and sustained his effort for 55 kilometres. Although it ultimately came down to a bunch sprint in Belgium, the veteran rider proved his legs were already turning over well.
Kelderman victim of notorious Giro d'Italia crash
This comes after a very heavy crash in the Giro, which left Kelderman badly grazed and with a fracture. The incident occurred during the second stage, a now-notorious pile-up on a wet corner in Bulgaria that also brought down a large portion of UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Kelderman got back on his bike but eventually abandoned the race after completing stages 2 and 3.
"We weren't entirely sure if anything was wrong, and it was only back in Italy that the fracture came to light. At that point, we said: 'This isn't safe, we're going home,'" he said, briefly recapping his Giro abandonment. Kelderman ultimately proved to be the sole retirement for Visma | Lease a Bike, as the remaining seven riders guided Jonas Vingegaard to overall victory.
Read also
Continue reading below the photo
Wilco Kelderman
Kelderman back as leader after Giro d'Italia frustration
"I'm feeling good," Kelderman noted on Tuesday evening after being presented with Visma | Lease a Bike for the five-day Tour de Suisse stage race. "It bothered me for a while and it remains sensitive and painful, but on the whole, things are fine now. I'm aiming for a good general classification here, to see where I can finish. We're going into it with an open mind and we'll see what happens."
Jørgen Nordhagen proved slightly stronger at this year's UAE Tour, while Kelderman rode in support of Vingegaard at Paris-Nice. He was then forced to miss the Volta a Catalunya due to illness, making this opportunity to lead the team in Switzerland a welcome prospect. "It's quite nice, actually. When you have a strong leader, it's rewarding to ride for them. But if you have good legs and get the opportunity, you have to give it a go."
Kelderman kept his responses short and punchy. The Dutchman appeared highly motivated but also clearly fired up. This is hardly surprising, given that while Kelderman was sidelined at home, he had to watch his teammates secure Giro d'Italia success with Vingegaard. "That's always painful. I was incredibly motivated and felt in great shape. Having had very little opportunity to show what I could do all year, it was definitely frustrating that it didn't work out."
Continue reading below the photo
Could Kelderman replace Wout van Aert at the Tour de France?
As with his numerous previous crashes, it was simply a matter of picking himself up, recovering, and moving forward. With the Tour de Suisse underway, Kelderman could still have some major goals on the horizon for the remainder of 2026. "Nothing has changed regarding my schedule so far; we will map that out after the Tour de Suisse."
Nonetheless, it is entirely possible that we will see the climber in action at the Tour de France this summer. Visma | Lease a Bike are currently seeking a replacement for the sidelined Wout van Aert, and Kelderman confirmed on Tuesday evening that he cannot book any holidays just yet. "I'm on the reserve list for the Tour, so if someone drops out, I might still have to go there," he stated.
He did not seem overly anxious about the situation, though the tension may rise following the news surrounding Van Aert. "It also depends on who exactly were to drop out," he said, explaining his role as a reserve. "I've trained well and I'm in good shape, but the Tour isn't really on my mind right now."
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
IDL-productions
Pogačar, Vingegaard and Van Aert went faster again in 2026... except when they didn't
Team GB dominate, China on the rise, Lavreysen the best ever? Five takeaways from the 2026 Track World Championships
Track World Championships day 2: A golden day for Team GB, Levreysen goes 2 for 2, and Kopecky eliminates the competition
Rumours, speculation and guesswork: 2027 Tour de France route will be revealed live on October 22 in Paris
Vollering adds the Women’s European Championships road race jersey to her rainbow wardrobe
Latest Cycling News
Pogačar's 2027 plans could shape Paul Seixas's route route to his top priority, the World Championships
Cyclist Alliance 2026 survey reveals massive inequality in Women's pro peloton
2027 Giro d'Italia route reveal: We'll know on Tuesday if Slovenian start and Zoncolan finale rumours are true
Team Manager at Bardiani is completely done with cycling: "Everything is falling apart under Pogačar"
2027 Vuelta a España route rumours: Fearsome Angliru set to be made even harder
Popular Cycling News
Tadej Pogačar on Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Boonen, but also kiwi/pineapple, visualisation and the Gravel World Championships
Disgruntled Sjklemose could be best suited rider for Tour de France 2027 at Lidl-Trek: 'That doesn’t sit well'
Modern Adventure just keeps growing: Hincapie's team strengthen 2027 roster with 4 great signings
Greg LeMond accuses Lance Armstrong of paying the UCI : 'Very bitter taste in my mouth'
Former Giro winner Tom Dumoulin records a blistering time at the New York Marathon
Latest Comments
- Checking out the European course beforehand is smart. Hope she enjoys racing at home, whatever the result.jennifer1902-11-2026
- How does the starting order get decided in cyclocross? Eighth sounds impressive if she had to work her way through the whole field.cadencekingm02-11-2026
- The article’s timeline seems a bit muddled: it says this was the 2026 Koppenbergcross, then calls it her final race of 2025–Still, her progress is encouraging.pedalpowe2902-11-2026
- It’s lovely to see her smiling and thanking the fans. Taking things week by week sounds like the right approach after such a difficult year.patriciaw02-11-2026
- Eighth after starting on the back row at the Koppenberg is a strong ride. Good to see Fem building race rhythm without the pressure of chasing victories.tourdeforce902-11-2026
- I don’t understand how you can break vertebrae and not feel much pain there. Does that mean the collarbone injury was just more noticeable, or can spinal fractures sometimes cause very little pain? Hope he’s fully healed soon.sprocketspiny01-11-2026
- The recovery-score details are interesting, but they’re not a substitute for proper medical advice. Hopefully the team are keeping a close eye on him and letting the scans—not the urge to train—set the timetable.jennifer1901-11-2026
- Pogacar’s point about the safety gap between the Tour and smaller races is spot on. Riders are going faster than ever, yet some finishes still have awkward turns and road furniture right in the finale. Organisers need to take this seriously.gearguru3301-11-2026
- Two extra vertebrae fractures is a frightening discovery, especially after the concussion and collarbone injury. Glad he’s recovering, but it shows why coming back too soon would be a terrible risk.breakawaybikerd01-11-2026
- The team says it wants answers “as quickly as possible”, but speed shouldn’t come at the expense of a thorough investigation. Since Picnic PostNL commissioned it, will the full report be published? The team’s transparency will matter as much as who leads the inquiry.cyclechamp4530-10-2026