Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 8:41 AM
That top sport can sometimes be tough was evident again on Wednesday in Dwars door Vlaanderen. A massive crash has put an end to the spring plans of Wout van Aert and Jasper Stuyven. The latter has now responded on social media. “I worked really hard in the classics for two years to get back to my top level.”
Stuyven crashed on Wednesday 67 kilometers from the finish. In the descent towards the Kanarieberg he crashed at high speed, together with his teammate Mads Pedersen, Wout van Aert and Biniam Girmay. It was immediately clear that the damage was extensive at Stuyven. The Belgian remained on the asphalt, clutched his broken collarbone and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
The 31-year-old Leuven resident has now successfully undergone surgery, but his dream of winning the Tour of Flanders and/or Paris-Roubaix will be shattered this year. “I would like to thank everyone for the expressions of support. I hope to recover quickly after my operation,” he said via Instagram. “I would like to thank the Claes family for their help and quick work. I will now take the time to recover as optimally as possible.”
Two years of hard suffering
It is a very bitter pill for Stuyven, as he competed at a very high level this spring. “My spring is suddenly over and that is of course a huge blow. I worked hard for two years in the classics to get back to my top level. After many training camps and sacrifices, I was able to compete in finals again this year. In fact, I may have been in the shape of my life. I now sincerely hope that Lidl-Trek can continue the good trend in the next races.”
It is still unclear how long Stuyven will be out of action and when he will be allowed to train again, let alone when he can wear a shirt number again.
