Belgian Wout van Aert, one of the leading names in world cycling, has given up the 110th edition of the Tour de France to supervise the birth of his second child, Jumbo-Visma reported.
‘Escudeiro’ of the yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard, Van Aert was one of the most active riders in this edition, which he leaves without a stage win, but with two second places and two third places.
“As everyone knows, Sarah is pregnant and things are getting a bit ‘tight’. Talking to the team, we decided that my place is now home,” the 28-year-old Belgian explains in a video posted on social media. media Jumbo-Visma social media.
‘WVA’ had announced before the start of the Tour that he would withdraw from the race if the birth of his second child was imminent, something he says is currently underway.
“On the one hand it’s a strange feeling, but it’s not a dilemma. It’s an easy decision. I always thought I would go home when my wife indicated she needed me. That time has come,” he said , indicating that his team companions, including Vingegaard, supported his choice.
Van Aert was the key figure of the last edition of the Tour, in which he rode in yellow, won three stages and the regularity classification, with record points, and was voted ‘super combative’.
In this edition, the Belgian ‘only’ takes home the prize for ‘super combative’ in the first week of the ‘Grande Boucle’.
“I had the legs several times to win a stage, but it didn’t happen,” lamented the cyclist who, despite his efforts to defend Vingegaard’s yellow and the numerous breakaways present, came 23rd overall.
‘WVA’ will therefore not participate in the 18th stage of the Tour de France, which today connects Moûtiers and Bourg-en-Bresse, a total of 184.9 kilometers, so that Jumbo-Visma with six riders received the yellow from the Dane, who 07.35 minutes lead goes to the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates).
Source: DN
