The Belgian cyclist Wout van Aert (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) He fractured his right clavicle and several ribs this Wednesday during the race Through Flandersdue to a fall, and will surely miss the next Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race.
This was indicated by Team Visma itself from its profile on the social network X (former Twitter), following an accident that occurred 67 kilometers from the finish line; Van Aert went over a gutter on the road, his bike shook, he immediately fell and caused a massive drop.
“At the hospital he was diagnosed with a fractured collarbone and several ribs. It is not clear how long his recovery will take. Definitely will miss the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race“, noted Team Visma in its X message.
At the finish line, the American Matteo JorgensonVan Aert’s partner, ended up winning a race that linked the towns of Roeselare and Waregem over a 188.6 kilometer route.
On a bittersweet afternoon for Visma, Jorgenson (Walnut Creek, California, 24 years old), winner of Paris-Niceattacked 7 kilometers from the finish line and appeared alone at the Waregem finish line with a time of 4h.10.43, at an average of 45.1 km/hour.
An exhibition that drove away his pursuers in half a minute. Totally surpassed, they crossed the finish line Abrahamsen, Küng, De Bondt y Benoot.
The flamenco event began with the prominence of 11 runners who dared to challenge the established script. Ahead are 10 cobblestone sections and 12 hills, and in command is a group that is theoretically not very dangerous for the favorites, among them a man from Movistar, the Dane Mathias Norsgaard.
With about two minutes ahead and 67 kilometers from the finish line, Visma took the lead of the peloton with a pace that immediately reduced the difference. In full frenzy came the key moment of the day. A pileup caused by a fall by Van Aert eliminated several favorites.
Van Aert himself, with his jersey torn down his back, lay in pain on the asphalt. Goodbye to the test and perhaps to the Tour of Flanders, goodbye to the expected duel with Van der Poel. Also out of action were Stuyven, Mads Pedersen, another of the big favorites, and the Eritrean Girmay, among others.
With the race in shock, the escape and chase followed. Visma, already with Van Aert on his way to the hospital, put Jorgenson and Benoot in the main group, in the group shared with Bettiol, Valgreen and Kung. Oier Lazkano was not in the vanguard, in a third group.
In the second ascent to the Trieu hill, 53 minutes from the finish line, there was a selection at the head of the race. Six rebel men were left fighting for glory, including Dries de Bondt, but Visma, with two men in the chasing group, as well as EF Education, joined forces to cancel the adventure.
The objective was met with 38 minutes left. Another race began, the definitive one, with 11 men in front who were already going to compete for glory of the flamenco race, 1.30 minutes ahead of Lazkano’s group, and with no options to fulfill the dream of repeating last year’s podium.
After a first attack by Jorgenson, the inexhaustible winner of Paris-Nice, The Italian Bettiol tried it forcefully on the climb to the Nokereberg, a 400-meter asphalt sector with a gradient of 3.3, but cramps stopped the winner of the 2019 Tour of Flanders.
Visma wins the victory
Visma saw life as rosy with Jorgenson and Benoot ahead, two important assets in a tactical finale. The Belgian attacked 10 from the finish line, without result, since De Bondt was in charge of closing the gap. After passing the Nokere (800 meters at 4%), Kung tried and the American was the neutralizer.
It was a matter of throwing shots until the right play was achieved. With 7 to go Jorgenson took off. Nobody followed the former Movistar runner anymore. He was the strongest of the leading quintet, and no one dared to follow the Californian cyclist. A winning attack.
Jorgenson paved the way, overcame the Herlegemstraat and went to celebrate his great triumph with time for delight. The Californian’s season was impressive, and he was able to brighten Visma’s afternoon a little. He succeeded his French teammate from Visma Christophe Laporte, winner in 2023, in the list of winners.
2024-03-27 19:19:29
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