"I did recover just in time for the Giro" - One of Jonas Vingegaard's Visma's domestiques crashed leading up to the race
Cycling
In a race of 21 days, with the responsibility to control the peloton and with the main favourite on board, it is always important to have all eight riders at their best level. Team Visma | Lease a Bike won't have that privilege going into the Giro d'Italia as Wilco Kelderman revealed that he crashed recently during a training ride.
The Dutchman, who was an important support rider for Jonas Vingegaard during his last Vuelta a España where the team took the overall win, had a fall whilst at an altitude camp leading up to the race. “I had a bad fall during one of the last days of the altitude training camp, so that final week wasn't optimal," Kelderman shared with In de Leiderstrui. "Ultimately, I did recover just in time for the Giro".
"What happened? I just slid out in what looked like a simple corner. Nothing special, really. My trainer was riding behind me and he didn't know exactly what happened either, but it just sucks that something like that happens to you during training.”
The team has managed to come into the race with their pre-schedules block, something that surpasses other rival teams. UAE Team Emirates - XRG are starting without João Almeida who was anticipated to be Vingegaard's biggest rival; whilst Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe has also seen Danny van Poppel removed from the lineup last-minute.
In Visma's case Kelderman did stay on the '8', as on the bike he does not feel the effects as much. "A fall is never pleasant, but that is mainly because it remains uncomfortable for a long time and you never really feel good. But on the bike I don't notice it much, and that is the most important thing.
Kelderman part of Visma's plan to make
But it's not been the ideal spring by any chance for the veteran, who also skipped the Volta a Catalunya previously: "Normally I would also ride the Volta a Catalunya, but I didn't end up doing it. I was feeling a bit unwell, not entirely fit, so we decided to skip it and just work towards the Giro".
At this point in his career, the former Giro podium finisher is on a pure domestique role in the three-week races, something which he has adapted to very well however. He is somewhat of a key figure when it comes down to passing along the Grand Tour experience to his teammates, taking into consideration he's starting his 20th.
"We do have a plan for each day. With Tim Rex and Timo Kielich, we have two men for the flats I, Victor Campenaerts, and Bart Lemmen are somewhat in the same caliber as men who can keep up longer uphill and can also do their job on the flats," he explains.
But if he has good legs, his work is also expected to be very useful in the mountains of the Corsa Rosa - although the main responsibility is not on his shoulders. "Davide Piganzoli and Sepp Kuss have to keep up for a long time uphill and do the lead-out for Jonas," he concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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