Visma – Lease a Bike provide an update about Wout van Aert
Team holds press conference to elaborate about the crash and his recovery
On Friday, Grischa Niermann from Visma – Lease a Bike provided updates about Wout van Aert, following his crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen
“It’s too early to think about the future,” Niermann said. “Van Aert is doing okay, but he still has a lot of problems after the crash, the operation and the abrasions.
Hopefully he will be able to go home soon, but that is not yet clear. Riders are very good at putting things into perspective and looking ahead, but Wout wasn’t that far this morning. He is also aware of this: you can have many ideas about what you want, but you must first be able to go to the toilet pain-free, so to speak. Hopefully that can be done in a few days.”
Niermann expressed that the events unfolded swiftly. He emphasized the need for support without delving into specifics about the near future. Additionally, he acknowledged the existence of contingency plans. However, he deemed it premature to consider them at this stage.
Expressing optimism for the individual’s prompt return home, Niermann indicated that further discussions about future goals would occur once more information became available. He delegated scheduling decisions to the medical professionals, concluding definitively van Aert wouldn’t be training by Monday.
Tiesj Benoot on the crash
Tiesj Benoot also addressed the audience, revealing his emotional state following Dwars door Vlaanderen. Initially, he believed he played a role in the incident. However, he clarified during the press conference that his assumption was incorrect.
“Matteo Jorgenson saw it happen and Wout’s explanation was also different from what I thought. Without clear images you can’t be sure, but with all the stories I can form a picture of what happened,” he said. “You drive to a point together and no one wants to brake. That’s when accidents sometimes happen.”
Benoot explained what his team leader told him about the crash.
“Wout doesn’t really know what happened, but he was hyper-focused and he would find it strange if he had hit my rear wheel. He had the feeling that his bike was suddenly gone from under him,” he said.
The riders on the team now must adjust to the situation and to their best.”It’s shit that we lost our leader,” Benoot said. “We have been together more than we have seen our partner in the last three months. But I’m proud of how we kept riding. Wout himself says that we can go for it, even if he is not there. He will be our biggest supporter. That’s what motivates us.”
