Wout van Aert updates public about his recovery and Giro prospects

Wout van Aert gave an update on his inuries following a terrible crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen on March 27.

His recovery is progressing, albeit slowly. Recently, he shared a few walks on Strava, noting that he had his first shower in almost two weeks.

The Belgian cyclist was involved in a serious crash during the lead-up race to the Tour of Flanders on March 27. The incident also affected other favorites such as Jasper Stuyven and Biniam Girmay. The crash occurred shortly after the Berg Ten Houte climb. Crosswinds and the presence of the Lidl-Trek team at the front of the peloton caused splits in the field, and the climb itself further stretched the group. The significant crash involved around a dozen riders with 68 km remaining in the race.

Wout van Aert addresses public

“Hello everyone. I am happy to tell you that I am doing well. I am recovering from injuries after y crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen. A lot of my injuries are quite good at the moment, but my rib are still a limiting fator so at this point I can’t train at tall. I tried to do my first pedal stokes but not good enough to train. That’s why we made the decision to not start the Giro d’Italia,” the Belgian said in a video message.

Van aert said that, “It’s a big shame and I’m really disappointed to miss also my second goal of the season, but at this moment I need to prioritize my health and I need to give my body the time to recover.”

Message from @WoutvanAert ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XNJWqg6QoF

— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) April 11, 2024

It’s unclear what his next move will be, but it certainly does create the possibility of him racing the Tour de France. Whether or not that would be in support of defending champ Jonas Vingegaard is also not known.

On Tuesday, Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike team provided a health update following his severe crash at the Tour of the Basque Country race.

Following the incident, the Danish cyclist was hospitalized and diagnosed with fractures in his ribs and collarbone, as well as lung damage. Vingegaard, 27, took victories in the Tour de France in both 2022 and 2023. While he aims for a third consecutive win this summer, the seriousness of the crash raises doubts about his participation.

According to the team’s post, “Jonas underwent a successful operation on his collarbone. He will now undergo a recovery period over the next few weeks. The duration of his recovery is still uncertain. However, he is in good spirits and appreciates the outpouring of support he has received over the past few days.”