Worst-case scenario for Van Aert comes true: wound infected, altitude camp and Tour participation uncertain

Bad news for Wout van Aert and Visma | Lease a Bike. According to HLN, examinations following his withdrawal from the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes have shown that the Belgian’s elbow is indeed infected. That means his participation in the Tour de France now depends on how quickly he can recover from the problem.

Van Aert had still won Thursday’s stage in France, but afterward he already indicated that his elbow had become more painful. The wound there was the result of a crash on his time trial bike before the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

He did not start on Friday because it was necessary for him to travel back to Belgium for further checks. According to HLN, those examinations revealed an infection in the wound on his elbow, exactly the scenario Van Aert and his entourage had already feared.

The Belgian outlet reports that Van Aert will have to stay off the bike for at least several days, which is far from good news with the Tour de France starting in Barcelona on July 4. During the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Van Aert had already said that he still needed to sharpen his form further, but he has now been hit by another setback at a highly inconvenient moment.

According to HLN, it has therefore also become uncertain whether Van Aert will join the altitude camp in Tignes on Monday. The Tour itself is now a question mark as well. Everything depends on how quickly the wound on his elbow can heal.

Before the start of stage seven, Visma | Lease a Bike had already suffered another setback. Per Strand Hagenes and Jørgen Nordhagen fell ill overnight from Friday to Saturday and were unable to start. Van Aert is not said to be ill.

Author: David Bavin-Hobbs - [email protected]