Wout van Aert forced to leave Vuelta a España after crash
Wout van Aert (Visma - Lease a Bike) was forced to withdraw from the Vuelta a España on Tuesday after a crash during the sixteenth stage. The leader in both the points and mountain classifications was involved in the accident when a rider in front of him fell, leaving him unable to avoid a hard collision with the mountainside. While Van Aert managed to get back on his bike, it quickly became clear that he could not continue.
The crash occurred during the descent of the Collada Llomena (Category 1), approximately 50 kilometres from the finish. Van Aert, who was part of the breakaway at the time, initially tried to carry on by switching to a new bike. However, after a few attempts to ride, he shook his head, realising that the pain was too intense. Visibly in pain, Van Aert collapsed into the trunk of his team car, where he received immediate attention from the race doctor. His right knee, hip, and elbow appeared to have taken the brunt of the impact.
This crash abruptly ended what had been a remarkable debut in the Vuelta for Van Aert. He had made an exceptional impression, securing three stage wins and finishing second in three others. He wore the red leader’s jersey for two days and was dominating both the points and mountain classifications at the time of his accident. Van Aert seemed to be hitting peak form just in time for the upcoming European and World Championships.
Unfortunately, this marks the second serious crash for the 29-year-old this season. Earlier in the year, Van Aert suffered a severe accident in Dwars door Vlaanderen, which resulted in fractures to his collarbone, sternum and ribs.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO IMAGO
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