This is why Wout van Aert got fined by Italy well before the Giro d’Italia even started and it had nothing to do with racing

For that, we need to go back to the 2024 Vuelta a España. Van Aert started the race in top form, riding with dominance and finishing in the top three no fewer than seven times in the first fifteen stages, including three victories. He also wore the red leader’s jersey for two days and even took a stage win while in it.

But disaster struck in stage sixteen. Van Aert crashed hard on a descent and was forced to abandon. On top of the mental blow after a season already filled with bad luck, it was his knee that took the hardest hit. A long recovery would follow.

After his crash in early September, Van Aert understandably didn’t race again that season. While recovering, he took some time off with his family and headed to Italy. More specifically, to Pinzolo, a village in the northern province of Trento.

While in Pinzolo, Van Aert symbolically threw away his crutches, tossing them into a waste container. What he didn’t know at the time was that he had placed them in the wrong bin. Even though he later took the crutches back out, he still received a fine, according to HLN.

A security camera had captured the moment, and the license plate of his car was clearly visible in the footage. The container was reserved for plastic and metal waste only. That was enough for the Italian police to issue a fine, which was sent all the way to Belgium. Van Aert paid it without protest.

Watch the video of Van Aert throwing away his crutches below: