Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) on stage at the Tour de France presentation in Brussels(Image credit: Getty Images)
Wout van Aert celebrates winning stage 10 at the Tour de France(Image credit: Getty Images)
Wout van Aert wins stage 10 at the Tour de France(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Wout van Aert has been released from the Pau hospital where he received treatment following his crash during the Tour de France's stage 13 individual time trial in Pau last Friday. Van Aert underwent surgery to correct a deep gash in his leg and spent an additional four days under observation but will now be transferred to another hospital, according to statement from Jumbo-Visma.
"In cooperation with the team and the management of Van Aert, Eurocross will transfer the two times stage winner (including the TTT) to a hospital that cooperates with Team Jumbo-Visma," the press release read.
"Last Friday, Van Aert underwent a successful operation during which his wound was cleaned and stitched. The drains were removed on Sunday, which means the wound has stabilised and everything is going as expected. The priority is to prevent infections. The precise impact of the crash on the muscles will have to be determined later."
Van Aert detailed how he crashed in a two-part video interview published on Monday.
Van Aert was part of the Jumbo-Visma team that won the stage 2 team time trial in Brussels. The team also won the opening stage with Mike Teunissen and stage 7 with Dylan Groenewegen before Van Aert claimed the stage 10 victory in Albi. He went into the stage 13 time trial as one of the favourites but crashed a kilometre from the finish line.
Van Aert clipped the road-side fencing through a righthand corner, which caught his hip and pulled him off his time trial bike. He sustained a serious wound to his right hip that crossed around to the back of his leg. Medics treated Van Aert on the side of the road before Jumbo-Visma announced that Van Aert would be forced to abandon.
He was taken to nearby hospital in Pau where he underwent an hour-long surgery to repair the torn skin, capsule and muscle of his upper thigh and hip. He did not sustain any fractures. Doctors recommended two months off to recover from his injuries.
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"The doctor said it would take a few days before I will be able to walk again properly," Van Aert said. "15 days until the wound is properly healed, and two months before I can cycle again."
Van Aert has already noted that he intends to compete in the cyclo-cross season this year, however, his recovery time overlaps with the start of the World Cup series on September 14 in Iowa City.
"I hope he exaggerated a bit because I don't intend to stay off the bike for two months," he said.
In a second part of his interview, Van Aert detailed his recovery process.
