"See you soon": Another blow for Visma as domestique suffers collarbone fracture in training crash

Team Visma | Lease a Bike has been dealt another setback after Anton Schiffer revealed that he broke his collarbone in a training accident. The German rider announced the news himself on social media, becoming the latest member of the Dutch squad to be sidelined by injury.

Schiffer was in action on Sunday at the Copenhagen Sprint, won by Jasper Philipsen, but his preparations were interrupted only two days later. The 26-year-old crashed during a training ride near Castelnaudary in southern France and suffered a fractured collarbone. Sharing details of the incident, Schiffer posted a photo confirming the injury alongside the message: “See you soon.”

The ride ended after only 25 kilometres, with both the start and finish recorded at the same location. It remains unclear whether the German managed to return to his starting point after the crash or received assistance.

The injury is a frustrating setback for Schiffer, who joined Visma | Lease a Bike from BIKE AID ahead of the 2026 season. Despite being in his first year with the team, he had already shown encouraging form, finishing fifth overall at Coppi e Bartali and fourth at Flèche du Sud in Luxembourg.

The German rider has 1 professional victory so far, which he got last year at stage 3 of Sibiu Tour. He prevailed over Matthew Riccitello and David de la Cruz in one of the queen stages of the edition.

Schiffer's absence adds to an increasingly lengthy injury list at Visma | Lease a Bike. Christophe Laporte remains sidelined with a muscle tear, while Niklas Behrens is currently out of competition due to heart-related issues.

The team also recently lost Wout van Aert during the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes after the Belgian was forced to abandon the race with an elbow injury. Moreover, it was recently announced that Van Aert will not be able to ride the Tour de France.