Cycling, Vuelta | Drama surrounding Wout van Aert: “Deep wound” after fall

Cycling star Wout van Aert suffered a serious crash on Tuesday during the 16th stage of the Vuelta. Team Visma-Lease a bike announced the initial diagnosis on Wednesday morning. The Tour of Spain has ended prematurely for the Belgian.

Three-time stage winner and leader of the mountains and points classification of this year's Vuelta, Wout van Aert, has to return home to recover from a heavy crash on the stage to Lagos de Covadonga.

The Belgian had to give up “due to severe knee pain caused by a deep wound,” the racing team told the short message service X: “This wound requires intensive care. Wout will return to Belgium to continue his recovery.”

At least the 29-year-old did not suffer any broken bones. It is still unclear to what extent the injury will jeopardize his further goals for the season. The European Road Cycling Championships (September 11th to 15th) begin in his home country next week, and the World Championships will take place in Zurich (September 21st to 29th) a little later. He is actually one of the favorites.

Wout van Aert crashed twice in 2024

Van Aert crashed on Tuesday during a descent on the Collada Llomena on the Nasser road. As a member of a breakaway group, he lost control of his bike around 50 km from the finish and crashed into a rock face. He was treated on the spot, but his knee was bleeding heavily.

For the all-rounder from the team of two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard, it is the second serious fall this year. During the classic Across Flanders, he broke his collarbone, among other things, and had to take a two-month break.

He was therefore not back in top form for the big French loop, and it was only at the Vuelta that he was able to reach his full potential again with three stage wins.