Too early for ‘plan B’ as Wout van Aert’s Giro d’Italia debut uncertain after surgery

It’s a relentless business, cycling. Wout van Aert is still lying in a hospital bed in Herentals after the crash the ended his Classics campaign, but thoughts are already turning to how the rest of the Belgian’s season will be affected by the injuries he sustained at Dwars door Vlaanderen.

Van Aert sustained fractures to his collarbone, sternum and ribs when he was among the fallers in a mass crash on the approach to the Kanarieberg on Wednesday afternoon. That same evening, Visma-Lease a Bike confirmed that Van Aert would miss the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Amstel Gold Race.