"They believe the irritation was exacerbated by being in the time-trial bar" - Van Aert infection cause identified ahead of Tour de France

Wout van Aert's Tour de France preparation is very much in doubt after the Belgian star abandoned the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes just hours after victory in stage 5. Sporting injuries from a training crash days before the race, van Aert left as an elbow wound pain became too much.

Returning to Belgium, it was reported that check ups found that the wound on his elbow had become infected, and that he would have to take days off training. The news cast doubt over his participation in Visma | Lease a Bike's Tignes training camp on Monday, while also adding doubts about his Tour de France.

A further update from Sporza commentator Christophe Vandegoor, who had spoken with Van Aert’s manager, Jef Vandebosch, revealed that its believed the position on the time trial bike aggravated the wound and led to the infection - with the aero position on the specialised bike's bar the culprit.

He said: "The wound was treated at Herentals Hospital. They believe the irritation was exacerbated by being in the time-trial bar during the team time trial."

It was confirmed that van Aert battled through pain during stage 5 to take sprint victory, but the inflimmation increased in the aftermath. Rider and team made the decision that van Aert would not start stage 6.

There was a double blow the following day as Jorgen Nordhagen and Per Strand Hagenes also went home from the WorldTour race, with illness cited as the cause for the abandonments. Visma start Sunday's final stage with four riders. Matteo Jorgenson, well placed in the general classification, is joined by Bruno Amirail, Ben Tulett and Edoardo Affini.

For van Aert, his condition will reportedly be assessed on a day-by-day basis but the unfortunate timing puts his Tour de France preparation on the backfoot three weeks before he's scheduled to arrive at the Barcelona Grand Depart.