Wout van Aert might leave the Tour de France early to witness birth of second child
Belgian and wife Sarah de Bie expecting this summer
Photo by:
Sirotti
On Tuesday, before Stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse, Wout van Aert said he may have to leave the Tour de France early to see the birth of his second child. The 110th edition of the Tour begins July 1 in Bilbao, Spain, and goes until July 23. This will be the couple’s second child. Their first is a son, named George. Their next child is expected in between the end of the Tour and the world road championships in Glasgow. But of course, things don’t always go as planned.
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“I keep in mind that I may have to go home at any time during the Tour. I definitely don’t want to miss the birth of our baby,” he told Het Nieuwsblad.
The world road championships begin August 6 for WvA, with the time trial. The road race follows on August 11.
The Belgian has two jobs at the Tour this year, both equally important. He has to win stages, although he is not necessarily going for green, as well he is there to help support his Danish teammate Jonas Vingegaard defend his 2022 win.
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When asked if he was hoping to be at the birth of his child, he said, as any parent would say, that it’s of great importance. “I don’t intend to miss it,” he confirmed. “But of course I keep in mind that I want to be at birth.”
This wouldn’t be the first time a cyclist left a major race to see the birth of their child. In 2021, Julian Alaphilippe retired from Tour de Suisse for the birth of his first child with former pro cyclist Marion Rousse.
