Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) is unlikely to recover from injury in time for the World Championships in Yorkshire this September, according to Dutch national coach Koos Moerenhout.
Following earlier reports that the Dutchman’s participation in the Vuelta a España later this month was unlikely, this latest development appears to put that question to bed, as well as further derail Dumoulin’s 2019 season.
>>> Mathieu van der Poel says he will ‘go full’ for Yorkshire World Championships
“I have regular contact with Tom about the progress of his injury,” Moerenhout told De Limburger.
“He must first get fit and his knee must be fully resilient. Hopefully he will recover in time, but that is now a question mark for everyone.
“It seems to be getting very tight for him. I will not wait until two weeks before the race.”
Dumoulin is currently out injured after suffering a deep wound to his knee in the first week of the Giro d’Italia.
He thought he may be able to recover in time for this year’s Tour de France, after finishing runner-up to Geraint Thomas (Ineos) in 2018, but set off for an Alpine training camp in the run-up to the French Grand Tour only to turn the car around en-route, putting an end to his potential participation in the race.
With Dumoulin’s inclusion in the Dutch squad looking unlikely, a position opens up for another rider to take his place, with competition fierce. Surprise yellow jersey-wearer and stage one winner at this year’s Tour, Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma), is said to be on Moerenhout’s list.
"I can't make any promises right now, but Mike is definitely in the picture for me," he said. "The heavier slopes are in the run-up loop and I don't expect any major differences there. The fixed circuit is a debilitating parcours, very technical and not a meter flat.”
One Dutchman who will be looking to bring home gold for his country is Mathieu van der Poel, who has chosen to focus his attention on the Yorkshire course ahead of the mountain bike Worlds, saying he will “go full” at the World Championships next month.
“The course is that of a Classic, so that must be my thing,” Van der Poel said. “I am already training to win there and I hope I can continue to improve my condition until then.”
