Can't keep me down! Dylan van Baarle back on the bike just a week after Tour Down Under crash

Dylan van Baarle, the 32-year-old classics specialist and current rider for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, has faced an unfortunate start to his 2025 season. A crash during the opening stage of the Tour Down Under resulted in a broken collarbone, forcing him to abandon the race early. Yet, in a remarkable display of strength, Van Baarle is already back to training on the rollers, just a week after his injury.

The incident occurred in the final three kilometres of the first stage of the Tour Down Under, as part of a larger pile-up involving several riders. However, Van Baarle's crash was one of the most severe, with the Dutchman remaining on the tarmac longer than the others. Though he managed to remount his bike and cross the finish line, he did so in last place, clearly hurting from the fall. Subsequent hospital examinations confirmed the bad news: a broken collarbone, ruling him out of the race's second stage.

This isn’t the first time Van Baarle has faced major injuries since joining Visma. That year, he endured a heavy crash during Paris-Roubaix, which left him hospitalised with a head injury, as well as small fractures in his hand and shoulder. Despite these setbacks, Van Baarle’s career is defined by his grit and incredible achievements, such as his monumental victories at Paris-Roubaix and second place at the Tour of Flanders in 2022.

His bad luck continued into 2024, when he suffered another broken collarbone and a pelvis fracture. Now, in 2025, the cycle seems to repeat, with Van Baarle injured on the very first day of his racing calendar. For a rider with his pedigree, these repeated injuries are undoubtedly frustrating, but his ability to bounce back remains strong.

For Visma, Van Baarle’s crash is another blow in a series of recent challenges. The team endured numerous injuries to key riders throughout the 2024 season, including Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard. These setbacks hindered their ability to consistently challenge rivals like UAE Team Emirates, and heading into 2025, they’ll be hoping for better luck to avoid further disruptions to their campaign.