Visma Lease-a-Bike star Wout Van Aert suffered a number of rib and collarbone fractures in a crash at this time at Dwars door Vlaanderen and won’t journey the remaining spring classics, in keeping with media studies from Belgium at this time.
This has now been confirmed by his crew:
Replace Wout van Aert:
Sadly, Wout van Aert suffered a number of fractures within the crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen at this time.
A damaged collarbone and several other damaged ribs had been recognized in hospital. It’s unclear how lengthy his restoration will take. He will certainly miss the Tour…
— Crew Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) March 27, 2024
Lidl-Trek’s Jasper Stuyven, a key lieutenant and darkish horse contender in each Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, can be anticipated to overlook the cobbled classics from this level on with a damaged collarbone from the identical crash. His crew has not confirmed this but.
For Lidl-Trek’s chief Mads Pedersen, the information is extra cautiously optimistic.
Danish media say that Lidl Trek are hopeful that Mads Pedersen may journey Flanders and Roubaix. He rode again to the bus himself and handed the preliminary concussion verify. https://t.co/7MuO4UZHER
— Katie (@medicinexthings) March 27, 2024
Lastly, Intermarche star Biniam Girmay can be anticipated to soldier on after taking place in the identical crash.
Additional particulars to return.
For Van Aert and his Belgian house followers, it’s a 3rd consecutive disappointment on house soil, as he was held out of the 2022 Ronde with Covid, and appeared to peak too early final yr after profitable the E3 Saxo Financial institution Basic and sharing the victory at Gent-Wevelgem with teammate Christophe LaPorte, decreasing his health simply sufficient to see him miss the profitable transfer at Flanders. Laporte can be out for Flanders, leaving the crew brief its two prime choices, although Matteo Jorgenson took the honors at Dwars at this time with Tiesj Benoot serving to, and former Paris-Roubaix winner Dylan van Baarle ready within the wings, so they’re removed from hopeless.
Lidl-Trek need to hope Pedersen is 100% or near it Sunday, although. No Stuyven means the previous World Champ is their solely rider able to a win, in all probability, although if he can go he could have wonderful help from Jonathan Milan and Tom De Clerq.
Mathieu van der Poel shall be a heavy favourite for a 3rd win, although he’ll see an elevated burden because of the crashes and the elimination of different potential winners.