Overview
- Visma‑Lease a Bike announced Wednesday that Wout van Aert will not start the Tour de France, with the team and rider agreeing recovery must come before racing.
- The injury began after a training crash before the Tour Auvergne Rhône‑Alpes and the elbow wound developed an infection during that race, forcing van Aert to abandon after winning a stage.
- This week van Aert underwent further wound cleaning and spent a night in hospital for observation as medical staff assessed his readiness to race.
- His absence removes a key all‑round domestique for Jonas Vingegaard and alters Visma‑Lease a Bike’s support options in the expected Vingegaard–Tadej Pogačar duel, and the team will name a replacement at its June 23 presentation.
- Van Aert is a high‑value rider—he won Paris–Roubaix in April—and team head of racing Marc Reef said health must take priority to preserve the rider’s season and long‑term form.