Wout van Aert Withdraws from Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Due to Elbow Infection
Belgian cycling star Wout van Aert has withdrawn from the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné) before stage 6 on Friday, June 12, after a worsening elbow infection forced him out of the race. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider, who had won stage 5 in dominant fashion just a day earlier, is now returning to Belgium for further medical tests, casting serious doubt on his participation in the Tour de France starting July 4.
Context and Background
Van Aert, 31, sustained the elbow injury during a training crash on June 1, when he fell while riding his time trial bike. He started the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes on June 7 with bandages on his right knee and elbow, initially stating he did not expect significant hindrance. However, the inflammation progressively worsened over the course of the week-long race.
The race — a traditional Tour de France preparation event rebranded this year as the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes — was Van Aert’s first road race since his victory at Paris-Roubaix earlier in the 2026 season. He had also won a gravel race in the interim, but his return to road racing proved challenging.
Key Developments
According to Sporza/VRT NWS, Van Aert’s condition deteriorated sharply after his stage 5 victory on Thursday. Sports director Maarten Wynants described the situation as a “rollercoaster of emotions.”
“Yesterday during the stage he already came to the car with elbow pain — it looked quite swollen. After the stage it got worse,” Wynants told Sporza. “We saw yesterday together with the doctor that it was clearly swollen. We did everything we could last night. With a pressure bandage and ice we tried to reduce the swelling.”
The overnight treatment failed. “The wound is not healing. It’s a mystery to us why it suddenly got worse than earlier this week. He is now traveling back to Belgium, where he will undergo further medical tests in the hospital,” Wynants added.
Cyclingnews reported that Van Aert had struggled with form in the opening three stages before bouncing back with impressive sprints on Wednesday and Thursday. His stage 5 victory in Villars-des-Dombes — a textbook mass sprint where he beat Hugo Hofstetter (NSN) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) — had raised hopes that his condition was improving.
Teammate Ben Tulett told IDL ProCycling: “It is very disappointing that Van Aert is not at the start today. He is still suffering from his crash in training a few days ago. It is a shame for him, but it is positive that he managed to win the stage yesterday. We should not take that away from him.”
Analysis and Implications
Wynants did not hide his concern about the Tour de France, which begins July 4 in Barcelona with a team time trial. Speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws, he said: “The ultrasound will provide more clarity. But is this not good news for the Tour de France? That is correct.”
Van Aert serves a dual role at Visma-Lease a Bike: he is a sprint and classics leader in his own right and a key domestique for Jonas Vingegaard in the mountains. His absence would leave the team without its primary sprint option and a crucial flat-stage protector for the Danish GC leader.
The timing is particularly concerning. With only three weeks until the Tour de France, any significant recovery period — particularly if the infection requires antibiotics or minor surgical intervention — could derail Van Aert’s preparation entirely. The team has managed his injury recoveries before, including a serious crash at the 2024 Vuelta a España that ended his season, but the short recovery window makes this situation especially precarious.
L’Équipe noted that five other riders also abandoned the race, including Michael Matthews (Orica Greenedge) and Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), but Van Aert’s withdrawal carries the most significant implications given his stature and the proximity of the Tour.
What’s Next
Van Aert will undergo an ultrasound and further medical tests in a Belgian hospital to determine the exact nature and severity of the infection. The results will dictate whether he requires medical intervention and, crucially, how quickly he can resume training.
“The most important thing is that Wout can recover now,” Wynants said. “The planning will be made depending on how quickly he can get back on the bike.”
For now, the cycling world waits. Van Aert’s presence at the Tour de France — where he was expected to play a pivotal role in both sprint stages and mountain support for Vingegaard — remains uncertain. A definitive update is expected once medical results are available.