Tour de France: Van Aert crashes out of time trial
Belgian time trial champion Wout van Aert's Tour de France is over after the Jumbo-Visma rider was injured after brushing against a barrier in a turn during the stage 13 individual time trial in Pau.
Van Aert had a dream start to his first Tour de France, having worn the white jersey of best young rider for four stages and then winning the bunch sprint on stage 10.
He was running second at the second time check, 16 seconds behind Lotto Soudal's Thomas de Gendt and on track for a strong showing until he brushed up against the barriers in a turn inside the final kilometre and suffered an large gash to his thigh.
Medics treated the rider on the side of the course before Jumbo-Visma announced that Van Aert would not continue via Twitter.
The team later confirmed that Van Aert underwent surgery to repair the wound that penetrated into the muscle but he did not sustain any fractures.
Mathieu Heijboer, Jumbo-Visma's head of performance, explained the incident in a video on the team's web site.
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) July 19, 2019
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