"I don't know when he can cycle again" - Visma DS shares new details on Wout van Aert's ongoing recovery

Wout van Aert has spent the last two days in the hospital near home in Herentals. Meanwhile, Team Visma | Lease a Bike gear up for the Tor of Flanders, Grischa Niermann provides an udate on his evolution following a fractured sternum, collarbone and three ribs.

“Van Aert is doing okay, but he still suffers a lot after the fall, the operation and the abrasions. Hopefully he can go home soon, but that is not yet clear," team DS Grischa Niermann said in the press conference ahead of the race. "Riders are very good at putting things into perspective and looking ahead, but Wout was not that far this morning. He also realizes that: you can have many ideas about what you want, but you must first be able to go to the toilet pain-free, so to speak. Hopefully that will be possible in a few days.”

The Belgian suffered severe injuries after a high-speed crash which also saw several riders crash over him. It was a decisive moment in this classics campaign and a deadly moment also for Lidl-Trek's possibilities this weekend. However for van Aert the situation is more complicated as not only does he miss out on the cobbles, he most likely will also be forced to miss the Giro d'Italia. “I don't know when he can cycle again," Niermann admits for he time being.

"Considering the circumstances, things are going pretty well, but it hasn't been nothing. Wout still remembers everything, but he doesn't know what happened. It all happened so quickly. We have to be there for him now. We always have a plan B, but it is far too early to think about that. Hopefully he can go home soon. Then when we know more, we can talk about the next goals. A schedule, that's something for the doctors. But he won't be on his bike on Monday, will he?"