“He took a big risk”: an admission regarding Wout van Aert’s condition

The official announcement of Wout van Aert’s withdrawal from the 2026 Tour de France paved the way for more detailed explanations about his physical condition and an admission by Mathieu Heijboer, head of performance at Team Visma-Lease a Bike. Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the second stage of the Tour de Suisse, the Dutch coach recounted what had happened in recent weeks, admitting that the situation had initially been underestimated.

“Despite the elbow injury sustained during training, we had no reason to be alarmed before the Tour Auvergne–Rhône–Alpes; in fact, Van Aert even won a stage before deciding to withdraw. It was during those very days, however, that we realized the wound wasn’t healing properly because Wout had since contracted a bacterial infection. His condition deteriorated rapidly.”

This led to the decision to immediately halt his racing activities and begin a targeted medical treatment plan. “Van Aert returned to Belgium, where he underwent two surgeries at the Herentals hospital to clean the wound,” added Heijboer. “He spent a night under observation and began a course of antibiotics, which will continue for at least another week. The prompt response of the medical staff led by Dr. Steven Claes was crucial, and fortunately the worst was avoided: there was a risk of sepsis.”

For the time being, therefore, Van Aert will be unable to train for at least another week, making it impossible for him to participate in the Tour, which thus loses a true heavyweight for the more “nerve-wracking” stages, as well as a valuable support rider for Jonas Vingegaard. The team will evaluate the next steps regarding Van Aert’s recovery only after he has completed his treatment and undergone a new clinical examination.