Injury Forces Wout van Aert to Withdraw from Tour de France

Belgian cycling sensation Wout van Aert has been forced to withdraw from the upcoming Tour de France due to complications from an elbow injury, dealing a major blow to his Visma-Lease a Bike team.

The star rider announced his withdrawal on the team's X account, expressing deep disappointment. "Tour de France is one of my biggest goals every year," van Aert stated on the team's website. "Unfortunately, a training crash has thrown a wrench in my work, and my elbow injury has worsened and has still not healed."

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It is of course a great disappointment. Tour de France is one of my biggest goals every year.

Van Aert's absence is particularly impactful for teammate Jonas Vingegaard, who is aiming to reclaim the Tour de France title from Tadej Pogačar. "Wout is one of the most important riders, and we would naturally have loved to have him on our team for the start of the Tour," said sports director Marc Reef.

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Unfortunately, a training crash has thrown a wrench in my work, and my elbow injury has worsened and is still not healed.

Despite the setback, van Aert had shown strong form earlier in the season, securing a notable victory at the Paris-Roubaix monument. He was also part of the winning team time trial at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes the previous week, though he appeared visibly affected during the stage. He later won the fifth stage but did not start the following day.

Van Aert played a crucial role in Vingegaard's Tour de France victories in both 2022 and 2023. In 2022, he also won the green points jersey. The rider has accumulated ten stage wins in the Tour de France throughout his career.

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Wout is one of the most important riders, and we would naturally have loved to have him on our team for the start of the Tour.