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Published By: Sports Desk
Last Updated: March 28, 2024, 12:30 AM IST
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Belgian cyclist Wout van Aert, the reigning Olympic road race silver medalist and one of the podium favorites for the Paris Games, crashed during the Dwars door Vlaanderen race on Wednesday and broke his collarbone along with several ribs.
Belgian cyclist Wout van Aert, the reigning Olympic road race silver medalist and one of the podium favorites for the Paris Games, crashed during the Dwars door Vlaanderen race on Wednesday and broke his collarbone along with several ribs.
The Visma-Lease and Bike team leader had an accident in Belgium just before climbing Berg ten Houte together with Biniam Girmay of Intermarche-Wanty and Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven of Lidl-Trek. Van Aert was helped onto a stretcher and taken to the medical tent for X-rays, which revealed the extent of his injuries.
“It is not clear how long his recovery will take,” Visma’s team said in a statement. “Van Aert will definitely miss the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race.”
Stuyven also appeared to have hurt his collarbone in the crash, while Pedersen and Girmay did not appear to have serious injuries.
Van Aert’s teammate Matteo Jorgenson of the United States went on to win Dwars door Vlaanderen with a solo breakaway attack.
Van Aert is widely regarded as one of the best and most versatile riders in the world. The three-time cyclocross world champion is also the winner of 10 stages and points classification in the Tour de France, along with the winner of major races such as Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianchi, Gent-Wevelgem and Amstel Gold.
Belgium has qualified the maximum number of four riders for the road race at the Paris Olympics, and two of those riders will take part in the time trial. Van Aert was on the long list released last autumn along with Remco Evenepoel and several other stars.
Van Aert planned to skip the Tour de France, which ends just before the Summer Games, so he would be fresher for the Olympics. He instead planned to race the Giro d’Italia in May, although those plans are now in doubt after his accident.
During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, van Aert was part of a chase group trying to catch eventual winner Richard Carapaz at Fuji Speedway. But the group was more than a minute behind the Ecuadorian at the end, and van Aert was left to beat a group that included American rider Brandon McNulty and bronze medalist Tadej Pogacar for the silver medal.
Van Aert also competed in the individual time trial in Japan, finishing sixth but just 37 seconds out of the medals.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Associated Press)
