"His injury is getting worse": Van Aert withdraws from Dauphiné and is increasingly uncertain for the Tour

What seemed to be the beginning of Wout van Aert's recovery has turned into a new source of concern for Visma Lease a Bike. Less than 24 hours after achieving a brilliant sprint victory in the fifth stage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026, the Belgian had to withdraw from the race due to the worsening of the discomfort he has been experiencing in his elbow since the fall he suffered before the start of the event.

From winning in Dauphiné to withdrawing the next day: Van Aert raises concerns ahead of the Tour de France

The news comes after Van Aert himself acknowledged after his victory that the pain was still present. He admitted that “today my elbow hurt more than on other days” and that it would be necessary to closely monitor his progress. Ultimately, the sensations did not improve, and the team made the decision to withdraw him before the sixth stage.

A victory that hid a bigger problem

Van Aert had arrived at the French round with visible bandages on his elbow and right knee after a fall while training with his time trial bike on June 1.

During the first days of competition, he had already shown signs of not being at his best. He fell behind very early in the team time trial won by Visma Lease a Bike, and he himself acknowledged that the days leading up to the race had been complicated due to the pain caused by the accident.

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However, the victory in Villars-les-Dombes seemed to confirm that he was regaining sensations. The Belgian achieved his first road victory since Paris-Roubaix and his sixth stage win in this race. But the joy was short-lived.

In a statement issued this Friday, Visma Lease a Bike confirmed that Van Aert would not start in the sixth stage.

“He continues to suffer significant discomfort in his elbow related to the fall he suffered last week. Wout will return to Belgium for further medical examinations,” the team explained.

The most concerning statements came later through sports director Maarten Wynants, who explained the situation of the rider to Sporza.

“The injury is not improving,” Wynants stated to Sporza.

The team leader also acknowledged that they do not even understand why the situation has worsened so suddenly.

“We don’t really understand why it has suddenly worsened more than at the beginning of the week. He will now return to Belgium, where he will undergo new medical tests at the hospital.”

According to Wynants, the warning signs had already appeared during the stage that Van Aert ended up winning.

“It has been a rollercoaster of emotions. During the race, he went back to the car because his elbow was bothering him. It was clearly swollen. After the finish, it got even worse.”

During the night, the medical services of Visma tried to control the inflammation with ice and compression, but the treatments were ineffective.

“We did everything we could. Together with the doctor, we saw that the elbow was very swollen. We tried to reduce the inflammation, but it was not possible,” Wynants also added in statements to Sporza.

The Tour de France on the horizon

The withdrawal comes at a particularly delicate moment. The Tour de France will start on July 4 in Barcelona, and there are just over three weeks left until the race begins.

Van Aert was expected to play a key role in the strategy of Visma Lease a Bike. In addition to being one of Jonas Vingegaard's main supports in his attempt to conquer the Tour after also competing in the Giro d'Italia, the Belgian had marked several stages as personal objectives.

In fact, he had recently explained to Domestique that the first days of the French round were one of his great motivations.

“I already have my mind set on the first weekend. I don’t think there will be many opportunities for me on this route, but I do think there will be some during that first weekend,” he declared then.

“First, we need to make sure that the elbow recovers. Then we will take it step by step and reevaluate the calendar,” Wynants concluded in statements to Sporza.

Thursday's victory seemed to have dispelled the doubts raised during the first week of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. However, just a day later, the focus is back on Van Aert's physical condition and whether he will arrive in optimal condition for the summer's main objective: the Tour de France, which will start in Barcelona in 22 days.