Two weeks before the Vuelta, illness strikes in Poland: Visma, Quick Step, and Kwiatkowski affected
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 GoogleSeveral riders in the Tour of Poland did not start stage 6 on Saturday. Among others, Visma | Lease a Bike, Soudal-Quick Step, and INEOS Grenadiers were affected by illness, two weeks before the start of the Vuelta a España.
ADVERTISEMENT
Visma was the first team to report a withdrawal on Saturday morning. Niklas Behrens was unable to continue. The German, who also broke his collarbone earlier this season in his first year with the team, will return home to recover. The 21-year-old world champion for U23 riders hopes that 2026 will be a better year for him.
Read more below
Kwiatkowski disappoints home fans
Illness also struck INEOS Grenadiers. In addition to Magnus Sheffield, home rider Michal Kwiatkowski had to say goodbye to his race in Poland with a heavy heart. “I felt a sore throat at night and also have a fever,” Kwiatkowski wrote on his social media channels. “A joint decision of the team and I is to get back to full health before the start of Vuelta a España.”
At Soudal-Quick Step, Ethan Hayter and Andrea Raccagni were forced to withdraw. Picnic PostNL will not be able to call on sprinter Casper van Uden for the final days in Poland, and Paul Ourselin did not start on day 6 for Cofidis. Pawel Bernas of the Polish team also called it quits. It is not clear whether all these men were ill.
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
Celia Gery won the European cyclocross championship while awaiting surgery: 'It'll be a new beginning'
Dutch team coach De Knegt annoyed by European Cyclocross Championships dispute: "A bit of a let down"
Glasgow set to shine as World Cup demand outstrips expectations and Mason eyes first home cyclocross race
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
Latest Cycling News
Cycling transfers 2026/2027 | Cycling transfer market still in full swing in November
Tadej Pogačar reveals his insane training data in new HBO film: 'I think that's what works best'
Vacek criticises Juan Ayuso's poor start at Lidl-Trek: 'Even the slightest mental lapse'
Sir Chris Hoy shares an update about living with stage four cancer: 'I'm doing pretty well really'
Primoz Roglic's contract options continue to shrink, but a surprise new team enters the conversation
Popular Cycling News
Cycling transfers 2026/2027 | Cycling transfer market still in full swing in November
Sven Nys spoke with Lucinda Brand straight after European Championship drama: 'Is that enough to ultimately relegate someone'
Tadej Pogačar reveals his insane training data in new HBO film: 'I think that's what works best'
Fears of serious injury to Alvarado, bronze medalist, after the European Cyclocross Championships
Picnic PostNL's WorldTour uncertainty has five rival teams, and Tom Pidcock, watching the UCI closely
Latest Comments
- Does XEFI’s investment mean the team will have more money to sign riders, or is it mainly a sponsorship and naming change? And is Roglič expected to race much next season?jeremya11-11-2026
- If the roster is nearly complete, why bring up Roglič at all? Feels like the article is turning a firm “no” into a transfer rumour.andrewf11-11-2026
- Wuling is no joke—105 km of climbing to 3,275 metres is brutal. Five minutes off Dyball’s record is still an incredible ride.velodromevirtuoso111-11-2026
- Roglič at TotalEnergies would be a fascinating move, but Heulot sounds pretty clear that it isn’t happening. His experience could be a massive boost for the younger riders, though.jennifer1911-11-2026
- Eight riders told to go for stages, and nobody gets one—hard to know what the plan was there. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pick a clear leader next time.bikebuffj10-11-2026
- Was Bernal’s 20th place really their best GC result? I thought he might have finished higher. Either way, it sounds like a rough Tour for the whole team.gearguru3310-11-2026
- Five days in breaks with no stage win is a painful stat. The team had chances, but they need to turn those opportunities into results.julien10-11-2026
- The Onley Vuelta example makes sense: a team with someone to rally around often looks much more cohesive. Hopefully INEOS can build on that rather than expecting a quick return to the Sky years.cadencekingm10-11-2026
- Thomas is right about the ambiguity. Eight riders all chasing stages can end up pulling in different directions, even if nobody’s deliberately working against anyone. They need a clearer plan once the GC leaders are out.robert6510-11-2026
- What a mess. The report makes it sound as though nobody properly explained the decision, and that’s hard to defend.jennifer1910-11-2026
