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Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

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With a broken collarbone there should technically be time enough for the Tour.
But it's not sure, Tim Wellens brok his collarbone in RVV last year. His collarbone recovered in time, but not in time to get in good in enough fitness for the Tour.
He tried in Tour of Slovenia but was no near good enough.

I think WVA going to focus on the Olympics. That would also be the best for him. Let see and hope for best for him!
He can use the Tour to improve his shape to the Olympics, like van der poel did in the last Tour to the worlds. Let's see how he recovers.
 
The only thing I just can't understand is why Wout was sweating buckets of having to go too deep in freaking Algarve - something you do not actually have to do if you do not want to btw - but is out there asking his team to give 110% on a road on the way to Kanarieberg that has been known to be very dangerous.

It's Dwars door Vlaanderen mate, who cares if you take the turn to Kanarieberg in 12th wheel instead of 5th.
You tell him.
 
Collarbone + ribs is a lot.

I don't see it. I also don't see the point either. Going to the Giro without any condition whatsoever would really serve no purpose considering the only purpose of going there was to improve his palmarès with stages wins & some jerseys.
Rib fractures are frustratingly hard to live with, because there is no way to completely isolate them. My broken ribs were the most painful recovery of a broken bone, I have ever had. And, I think there was a report of a partially collapsed lung. This will not be a 6 week recovery. Olympics and Worlds...possibly the Tour, but I think that is in doubt.
 
This may sound way out of bounds, but I think there is a chance he will retire after this. The mental strain he has had to get to this point, and the mental strain of the expectations he has on him, and the mental strain of the doubters and people who dislike him has always affected him. In a time where your closest rival is a man who (as much as I hate to admit it), is physically more gifted in the races Wout cherishes most, I can see him coming to a place where he doesn't think it's worth it anymore. I believe for sure, that thought will cross his mind.

My hope is that this adversity forges a Wout who will come back and triumph. I would not respect him any less if it doesn't.
I hope you’re wrong, but I remember when my favorite rider at the time, Dumoulin, unexpectedly retired due to frustration, burnout, and fatigue.
I suspect he will come back refocused like mad. Angry comeback destruction
I hope you’re right.
 
I hope you’re wrong, but I remember when my favorite rider at the time, Dumoulin, unexpectedly retired due to frustration, burnout, and fatigue.

I hope you’re right.
I hope so too!! Honestly, no respect lost for the man either way, but he seems like he is more likely going to choose to go out on his terms if that is at all possible. I think he likely has a pretty solid support system and this will allow 1) a chance for total recovery from two crashes in less than a week, and 2) a complete reset.

Most importantly, let's hope he has a complete recovery first and foremost.