Despite rumours that Visma-Lease a Bike will make the decision on whether defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Hansen) will participate in the Tour will be made at the last minute, the signs are looking increasingly positive, according to HLN.be. The prospects for Wout van Aert are also looking good, as well.
Both riders suffered brutal crashes in the spring which set their seasons south. For months, cycling fans have been wondering if Vingegaard will be at the starting line of the Tour de France in Florence. Following his terrible crash in Basque Country and a 12-day hospital stay, Vingegaard finally resumed riding. Starting on the flat roads of Denmark and progressing to high mountain terrains, his coach Tim Heemskerk confirmed that after logging some base miles back home, Vingegaard has advanced to the point where he can handle challenging mountain rides.
Training with teammates
He’s been riding in France and Heemswerk said on Sunday that his fitness was now good enough to join the team, at the Visma – Lease a Bike training camp.
“In the coming days, Jonas will continue alone while the riders from the Dauphiné – including Matteo Jorgenson – recover. But starting Thursday, they will train together, with each rider following their own program during team training. It is very positive for me that he can be part of the squad,” he said.
As for Van Aert, the Belgian returned to racing at the Tour of Norway, two months after his brutal crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen. Although suffering on the first day, he had two good results, a fourth and a third, and said that his confidence is coming back.
The comeback of Wout van Aert
His eight-week break from racing was due to a crash that left him with fractures in his collarbone, sternum, and seven ribs. As a result, he had to withdraw from all the Spring Classics and miss his debut at the Giro d’Italia. Following the crash, he underwent an extensive rehabilitation period.
According to the Belgian report, Vingegaard has significantly increased his time trial training during his altitude camp in Tignes, which is a promising development. However, his participation in the Vuelta is now uncertain due to “family circumstances”, that means making the TdF his only likely opportunity to compete in a Grand Tour this year.
During the second week of his altitude camp in Tignes, van Aert completed a solid training session with Christophe Laporte, covering more than seven hours (188.58 km with 4,860 m of…
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