Wout van Aert has been forced to abandon Dwars door Vlaanderen after a huge crash at the Belgian Classic took out multiple riders in the peloton.
Television pictures showed the Belgian star lying on the floor with visible road rash as he received medical care.
Lidl-Trek’s Jasper Stuyven was also involved in the pileup and was seen in a similar condition, as was Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), as the crash affected some of the favourites for the race.
A stretcher was brought for Stuyven along with Michele Gazzoli of Astana Qazaqstan. His teammates Mads Pedersen and Alex Kirsch also hit the deck but, according to the team’s social media, both riders remounted their bikes and were able to continue to begin with. Kirsch and Harry Sweeny (Lotto Dsnty) later abandoned.
Van Aert’s Visma-Lease a Bike team shared a quick update on X which explained the situation was not looking good for their talisman.
"A big crash in the peloton with Wout involved," it read. "Not looking good. Let’s hope everyone there is safe and can continue, but we fear."
Later, the team posted: "Wout has to abandon the race after a big crash. Let’s hope he is okay."
Multiple other riders were involved in what looked like an innocuous crash caused by the wind including Girmay.
Van Aert was a huge favourite, alongside Mathieu van der Poel, for this Sunday’s Tour of Flanders. The Belgian has tailored his season around Flanders as well as Paris-Roubaix, but his participation in Sunday’s race will now be in doubt. Van der Poel was not riding Dwars.
Visma-Lease a Bike have already lost Christophe Laporte to illness and injury, as well as Dylan van Baarle. Jan Tratnik, winner of this year’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, also abandoned Dwars earlier in the race after another incident.
Visma DS Grischa Niermann told Cycling Weekly earlier this week that Van Aert was in the best possible place ahead of Flanders, prior to him being forced out of Dwars.
He said: "He’s in a good place, he’s mentally in a good place and he’s feeling fresh and fit. With Wout, we are right in the place that we want to be and we’ll see if that’s enough.
"In the end if Van der Poel ends up being a lot stronger and rides away, then there’s not a lot you can do either with Wout or as a team. But we believe he [Van Aert] is in absolute top shape approaching these races now."
Intermarché-Wanty later released an update on Girmay's condition and confirmed he had escaped injury free from the crash.
"Biniam Girmay and Laurenz Rex did not sustain any facture following their crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen," a short update from the team said.
This piece will be updated when more information is released.
