The Belgian Wout van Aert, one of the biggest names in world cycling, left the 110th edition of the Tour de France to accompany the birth of his second child, reported Jumbo-Visma.
‘Escudeiro’ in the yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard, Van Aert was one of the most active cyclists in this edition, leaving without any stage victory, but with two second places and two third places.
“As everyone knows, Sarah is pregnant and things are ‘adjusting’ a bit. In a conversation with the team, we decided that my place is now at home,” explains the 28-year-old Belgian, in a video posted on the networks. social. Jumbo-Visma social networks.
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‘WVA’ had announced, before the start of the Tour, that he would withdraw from the race if the birth of his second child were imminent, something that, according to himself, is happening right now.
“On 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 that she needed me. That moment came,” she said. , indicating that his teammates, including Vingegaard, supported his choice.
Van Aert was the main figure in the last edition of the Tour, in which he rode in yellow, won three stages and the regularity classification, with a record of points, and was voted ‘super combative’.
In this edition, the Belgian takes home ‘only’ the ‘super combative’ award in the first week of the ‘Grande Boucle’.
“Several times I had the legs to win a stage, but it couldn’t be done,” lamented the cyclist who, despite his work to defend Vingegaard’s yellow and the numerous presences in breakaways, was 23rd overall.
The ‘WVA’ will not take part, therefore, in the 18th stage of the Tour de France, which connects Moûtiers and Bourg-en-Bresse on Thursday, in a total of 184.9 kilometres, leaving Jumbo-Visma with six riders to defend the yellow of the Dane, who leads with a 07.35 minute advantage over the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates).
Source: TSF
