Kasper Asgreen has been forced to withdraw from
Paris-Nice
before the start of stage 2, as his team
EF Education-EasyPost confirmed on
Monday morning. The 2021 Tour of Flanders winner, who joined EF
Education-EasyPost this winter after leaving Soudal – Quick-Step, fell ill
overnight and was unable to continue in the prestigious stage race.
"Kasper Asgreen fell ill last night and will not be
starting in Paris-Nice today. He will go home to rest and recover. Get well
soon, Kasper!", EF Education-EasyPost wrote on social media.
Asgreen’s withdrawal is a setback for both the rider and his
new team, with Paris-Nice serving as a valuable preparation race for the
upcoming spring Classics campaign. The Danish rider is an established force in
one-day racing, and his form heading into Milano-Sanremo and the cobbled
classics will now be a key point of focus as he works to regain full health.
According to his original racing schedule, Asgreen is set to
return to competition at Milano-Sanremo, the first Monument of the season. From
there, he is expected to race E3 Saxo Classic, Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door
Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix.
For his sake, and for the sake of fans, we hope he can
recover and peak in time for his classics campaign.