The Kanarieberg curse strikes Intermarché-Wanty again: Teunissen experienced every cyclist's nightmare

Following a standout spring in 2022, Intermarché-Wanty has been plagued with misfortune in 2023, and the trend continues into 2024. Team leader Biniam Girmay, showcasing peak form in recent races, was among the many who took a hard fall on Wednesday. The also battered Mike Teunissen, was the Belgian team's highest finisher, placing 19th.

Teunissen crashed, out of camera view, during the final phase of Gent-Wevelgem, where he, along with some teammates, was preparing the sprint for team leader Girmay. Before the start of Dwars door Vlaanderen, he told IDLProCycling.com what happened in Wevelgem. Teunissen's chain came off, and while trying to put it back on with his hand, things didn't go quite right.

It's every cyclist's nightmare, and for Teunissen, it went particularly awry. The fall resulted in him starting his next race, Dwars door Vlaanderen, with a bandaged hand. "Definitely not ideal, but we've got to make the best of it," he remarked, maintaining his positive outlook despite glancing at his less-than-ideal hand condition. "It doesn't look great."

Girmay falls again on the descent towards the Kanarieberg

And so Teunissen pressed on, although Dwars door Vlaanderen turned out a disaster for his team as well. Team leader Girmay was involved in the big crash leading up to the Kanarieberg, where he also had a severe fall in last year's Tour of Flanders, receiving a serious blow to his ribs. Earlier, Laurenz Rex had fallen in the same descent, after which Teunissen managed to salvage a result for the team.

However, things weren't going smoothly for the Dutchman either, despite his nineteenth place. Teunissen was struggling with shoulder pain, which caused his back to seize up, making it particularly challenging to push through Dwars door Vlaanderen.