November 14th 2022 may be Wout van Elzakker's 24th birthday, sadly however, it will more likely be remembered as the first day of the Hoogerheide-born rider's early retirement.
Initially showing promise as a time trial specialist, van Elzakker got his first chance as a trainee at Metec - SOLARWATT p/b Mantel, before moving to Luxembourgish continental side Differdange in 2019. Due to the Covid pandemic, the Dutchman didn't ride in 2020, returning to action in 2021 with Italian team Vini Zabù before the team folded at the end of that year.
His most recent and final team was the Bahrain Cycling Academy, a feeder team for Bahrain - Victorious. However as that team has also now folded, van Elzakker won't be looking for a transfer in preparation for 2023.
Being without a team is not the reason for his retirement though, “In August I had an examination for a narrowing/kink in my femoral arteries. Then I got a second opinion. It turned out that the problem was bigger than it first appeared. The problem is in both leg arteries.” van Elzakker says. "When I heard this I also got the news that my current team is ending. I started to doubt whether I would operate.”
A sad end to a career that promised much. “It hasn't gone the way I wanted for a number of years. In other words, it just went bad." van Elzakker reflected. "The mentality also came into play. I've decided to stop for now."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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