“He’ll definitely restart in Canada” - But Van Eetvelt skips Vuelta a Espana

Lennert Van Eetvelt will not be lining up for the Vuelta a España this weekend, a blow both for him and his team Lotto. The Belgian had circled the Spanish Grand Tour as one of his primary objectives for 2025, but his campaign was disrupted after a crash during the Tour de France forced him to abandon. Missing the Vuelta marks another setback in a season where his ambitions have consistently been interrupted.

The disappointment is larger when weighed against his 2024 performances. At just 24 years old, Van Eetvelt had positioned himself as one of Belgium’s most promising stage racers, winning both the UAE Tour and the Tour of Guangxi. However, he has been unable to replicate that form this year. After starting the Tour de France, he struggled to make an impact. His withdrawal on stage 15 came after two difficult weeks, with his best finish only 47th in the stage 13 time trial to Peyragudes.

The Vuelta will still see an impressive roster, with Jonas Vingegaard, João Almeida, Juan Ayuso, and Tom Pidcock all targeting success.

For Van Eetvelt, however, attention now shifts elsewhere. Lotto confirmed to WielerFlits that the Canadian one-day races in Québec and Montréal are the planned comeback point. “If all goes well, he’ll definitely restart in Canada,” the team explained, underlining that the priority is to ease him back into competition gradually.

While fans may have hoped to see him battle again in a three-week race, his recovery takes the priority here. The Canadian GP series offers a chance to return to racing without the pressure of Grand Tour demands. For Van Eetvelt, it could provide the reset he needs after a year that has not gone according to plan, and maybe he will be able to race next month’s world championships in Rwanda too.