168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Wout van Aert’s participation in the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tour of Flanders is in doubt after the Belgian champion missed his 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Jumbo-Visma squad’sꦜ pre-race reconnaissance on Thursday due to illness. In a post on social media, Jumbo-Visma acknowledged that he was 'unlikely' to line up at the Ro🦩nde.
Already winner of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Saxo Bank Classic this season, Van Aert was the favourite to win the Tour of Flanders, not least due to 🌱the strength of his supporting cast at Jumbo-Visma.
His absence would utterly change the complexion of a race that also features Dwars door Vlaanderen winner 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) among the contenders for victory in Oudenaarde. Jumbo-Visma did not specify the nature of Van Aert's illness.
"Unfortunately Wout is not joining in for the recon ride today. Unfortunately he'sﷺ not feeling really fit and he's staying at home for that reason. We have to do it at least today without him," said team directeur sportif Grischa Niermann.
"If we only miss him today for the recon ride it wouldn't🥀 be too bad, but of co🐭urse we have to admit that now there's a chance he will miss the race."
After winning in Harelbeke last Friday, Van Aert underscored his pre-Ronde form with a rasping acceleration on the Kemmelberg at Gent-Wevelgem two days later. The Belgian opted not to race Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday, preferring to🦹 train ahead𝐆 of the Tour of Flanders.
Niermann said that a final decision on Van Aert's participation in 𓄧Belgian cycling's grandest occasion was 𝐆likely to be made on Friday.
"In the moment I ℱcan't really ♏say something," Niermann said. "If he feels fit and ready to race on Sunday morning, we might still let him race. Most likely we'll know by tomorrow how the situation is and how it evolves."
Jumbo-Visma strengthened their Classics team during the off-season with a view to supporting Van Aert, but now their two new arrivals could be charged with leading the team at the Tour of Flanders. 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Christophe Laporte placed second at both the E3 Saxo Bank Classic and Gent-Wevelgem, while 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tiesj Benoot was outsprinted by Van der Po♒el at Wednesday's Dwars door Vlaandere🌱n.
"If that's the case we꧅ have to make a new plan, we have to change plans. It would be a very, very big setback," Niermann said. "We can't replace him, of course. On th꧃e other hand, we have a whole team in great form and two guys who are the best riders here: Tiesj and Christophe. We will make new plans then.
"It wil⛦l change a lot for the race, not only for ourselves but for our co🤡mpetitors. Of course, we'll make new plans and start the race with the goal of winning."
Van Aert placed second in the pandemic-delayed 2020 T✨our of Flanders, losing out in a tight sprint to Van der Poel. He again lined up as a favourite twelve months ago but had to settle for sixth in Oudenaarde.
This year's race was billed all week as the latest instalment in the longstanding rivalry between Van A﷽ert and Van der Poel, who returned from a nagging back injury just in time ജfor the Classics.
If Van Aert's absence i෴s confirmed, tꦉhen Van der Poel would set out from Antwerp as the man to beat, but the tenor of the entire race could be very different without the Belgian champion.
