<\/p>\n
The big news on Wednesday was that Visma-Lease a Bike star Wout van Aert was forced to skip the Tour de France.<\/p>\n
But his absence is no longer just a story about an injury. New details have revealed the Belgian\u2019s condition became far more serious than initially understood after a bacterial infection in his injured elbow resulted in a hospital stay.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws<\/a>, Visma-Lease a Bike head of performance Mathieu Heijboer said the situation deteriorated rapidly following Van Aert\u2019s stage win at the Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter his victory, his elbow became very swollen,\u201d Heijboer said. \u201cThe following morning there were signs of an infection, so we didn\u2019t hesitate and sent him back to Belgium. In a very short time the situation had worsened.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Heijboer, doctors determined the infection was caused by bacteria that entered the wound during racing, although exactly how it happened remains unknown. Van Aert underwent surgery over the weekend to clean the wound and has since been treated with antibiotics.<\/p>\n \u201cThe infection was bacterial and developed during the race,\u201d Heijboer explained. \u201cBefore that there was absolutely no reason to be concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n Once the seriousness of the infection became apparent, the team quickly ruled out any possibility of Van Aert lining up at the Tour.<\/p>\n \u201cAt one point it was a very serious situation, otherwise he wouldn\u2019t have been admitted to hospital,\u201d Heijboer said. \u201cHis health is our priority. Thanks to the quick response of the medical staff and Dr. Steven Claes, something much worse was prevented.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Het Laatste Nieuws<\/a> and Wielerflits<\/a>, Van Aert was at risk of developing sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition in which the body\u2019s response to an infection begins damaging its own tissues and organs.<\/p>\n Although the 31-year-old has now left hospital, he continues to take daily antibiotics while recovering.<\/p>\n \u201cThe worst pain is behind him,\u201d Heijboer said. \u201cIt\u2019s still sensitive, but much better than it was over the weekend. Once he\u2019s fully recovered, we\u2019ll look at the plans for the rest of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s just another rotten bit of luck the Belgian superstar has had to endure. He\u2019s had more than his fair share over the past few years, from his brutal crash at the 2024 Dwars door Vlaanderen<\/a> and the lengthy recovery that followed, to another heavy fall at the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a after winning stages and wearing multiple jerseys. Even this season was thrown off course after crashing during his cyclocross duel with Mathieu van der Poel in Mol, fracturing his ankle and ending his winter campaign.<\/p>\n Still, Van Aert fought his way back and claimed perhaps the biggest victory of his career by beating world champion Tadej Poga\u010dar at Paris-Roubaix. His sprint win at the Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes looked like another encouraging sign ahead of the Tour, suggesting the finishing kick that had deserted him at times was finally back. Instead, cycling has delivered another cruel twist, and Van Aert will be watching the Grand Boucle from home.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\nThe decision about the Tour de France<\/h2>\n
A rough ride for van Aert<\/h2>\n