Van Aert starts first race since Roubaix bandaged up after TT training crash
Wout van Aert is making his return to racing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes this weekend, his first appearance since winning Paris-Roubaix in April as he prepares for the Tour de France next month. However, he did not start in optimum condition having crashed in training six days before stage 1.
"I fell in training on Monday, I can't hide that," Van Aert told Sporza at the start in Vizille, where he was showing off bandages to his right knee and elbow. “It was due to a moment of inattention, my own fault. I was training on the time trial bike when I suddenly lost control of my handlebars and fell to the ground."
Van Aert is at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with most of the squad set to support the absent Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour that starts in four weeks. Most of the stages are better suited to the team's GC leader Matteo Jorgenson than someone with Van Aert's particulars, but he's not ruling out his own chances.
"There won't be many opportunities for non-climbers. But there are a few difficult rides where it is a bit flatter in the final. There I can take my chance in the sprint or with a breakaway.”
