Tearful exit

Professional cyclist van Aert crashes heavily in a mass crash

Cycling star Wout van Aert was seriously injured in a mass crash on Wednesday and will be out for longer. The 29-year-old Belgian crashed on Wednesday with a number of other riders in the Quer durch Flandern semi-classic cycling race around 68 kilometers before the finish in Waregem. The nine-time stage winner at the Tour de France suffered a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. He will not compete in the Tour of Flanders (March 31) and Paris-Roubaix (April 7) monuments.

"It is unclear how long the recovery will take. Van Aert will definitely be out for the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race," his team announced on Wednesday evening.

According to media reports, Van Aert had to be placed on a stretcher in tears. Three other pros also had to call it a day. There was initially no precise information regarding the injuries. In addition to van Aert, Danish pro Mads Pedersen and Eritrean Biniam Girmay were also involved in the crash.

Van Aert, teammate of two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard, is thus experiencing a bitter start to the season. Last Friday, he also crashed in the E3 Prize and was later beaten by his permanent rival Mathieu van der Poel. Incidentally, victory in that race went to his Team Visma colleague Matteo Jorgenson (USA).

The diagnosis is a huge setback for Van Aert. He had dreamed of finally winning the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. He had sacrificed several races during the winter in order to prepare optimally for the two monuments.