Ramon Sinkeldam forced to ride to Tour de France without luggage after suitcase is lost: "I had new shoes for the Tour"

For 34-year-old Ramon Sinkeldam, final preparations for the 2023 Tour de France didn't go ideally well with the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider losing his suitcase and all his luggage.

“They are still in Amsterdam, those suitcases,” he told WielerFlits before the start of the opening stage of 2023's second Grand Tour. “Not only mine, but also Mike Teunissen's and a few other boys. I don't feel like much is happening, but I'm one of many."

Although obviously an unwanted inconvenience, the lost luggage isn't bothering Sinkeldam too much thankfully. “Actually, you don't really need anything very badly, but it is inconvenient. Of course we have some clothes. As a cyclist you are the first to learn that you must have your racing shoes in your hand luggage," he explains. "But I had new shoes for the Tour. You want to test it with the new cleats, that is not possible then. I now ride with grey shoes, unfortunately."

"Little things like that. Your toiletry bag, your braces at night. Those kinds of things,” Sinkeldam concludes. “Basically, they have to find that suitcase and send it on. But we flew with Vueling which is in principle not the party that does its best. It's very annoying, but I hope it will end up in the next few days!"