The 2024 season has been cursed for Team Visma | Lease a Bike with injuries shadowing their leaders throughout the whole year. Wout van Aert looked to finally reach his best form, take wins and be motivated; but his run of normality came to an end during stage 16 as he crashed twice and was forced to abandon the Vuelta a España.
The Belgian had crashed earlier in the race, but it was in the first stage of the final week that he was forced to abandon. Van Aert crashed in the first kilometers of the stage but resumed the race and got himself in the breakaway of the day. Then, on the descent of Collada Llomena, he went down - in a corner that was already previously known for race leader Odd Christian Eiking's crash back in 2021. He got back on the bike shortly after but could not pedal and then the decision was made on the side of the road.
"Wout van Aert has not suffered any fractures from his crash in La Vuelta," Visma confirm in a message shared on social media this morning. "The three-time stage winner had to withdraw due to severe knee pain caused by a deep wound. That wound requires intensive care. Wout will travel back to Belgium to continue his recovery".
It is still not clear how badly this will affect van Aert's next goals which include the European championships in week and a half's time; but mainly the World Championships that are set to take place due in three weeks in Zurich. The Belgian is again in a race against time to overcome an injury.
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