For spring riders, the weeks of truth are just around the corner, but some may already realize that they need to adjust their ambitions. Bad luck lurks around every corner, but viruses and infections are also ubiquitous. The last straight line of this spacious truss does not run smoothly.
Even before the season had even started, Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl was already in the thick of things.
Julian Alaphilippe missed a team internship in the Algarve, Kasper Asgreen on Davide Ballerini had to change their program after a corona infection and Tim Declercq could not cycle for more than two weeks due to an inflammation of his pericardium. His spring is almost completely gone.
Just before the opening weekend, there were mainly Belgian victims. Dylan Teuns missed the Ruta del Sol after a corona infection and also deleted the Omloop and Paris-Nice. His spring was limited to 5 racing days in Valencia for the time being.
Tim Wellens was unable to capitalize on his excellent form in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, but in the meantime he is back in the pack. In the Strade Bianche he finished in the top 10.
Sep Vanmarcke also did not escape his classic appointment with the bad luck devil. Vanmarcke did not appear at the start in Ghent at the end of last month and is steaming on stage – Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico were not on his schedule anyway – ready for the next appointments.
Dylan Teuns has been absent for a while.
Benoot waits anxiously, new dent for Campenaerts
how Tadej Pogacar sees flames, hardly dares to believe that the Slovenian was also grabbed by the corona animal a few weeks ago.
Other fellow sufferers are less fortunate: Vincenzo Nibali is missing the entire Italian hatch, teammate Alexei Loetsenko sent his cat to Paris-Nice.
But not only the corona virus is playing tricks on the peloton. Cycling naturally goes hand in hand with falls and the Strade Bianche has left its mark in that regard.
Literally and figuratively: Tiesj Benoot was the worst victim and skipped Tirreno-Adriatico. His training rides of the past few days seem encouraging and Benoot wants to be back in Harelbeke in 2 weeks, whether or not after an internship at height.
Gianni Vermeersch with a bruised back, fend off the pain in Italy, Victor Campenaerts Tirreno-Adriatico also left behind.
His fall in the Strade Bianche was an additional attack on his sore rib cage, a leftover from his bad luck race in the Omloop. Normally he would be able to train as it should from today.
Victor Campenaerts is struggling with painful ribs.
Dizziness after crash forces Trentin to give up
In Italy, selfie hunters couldn’t knock on the door either Matej Mohoric on Tom Pidcock.
The Slovenian champion is healing his wounds after the crash on the way to Siena, Pidcock didn’t even appear at the start due to a stomach virus. A return to Tirreno-Adriatico was out of the question.
In Italy they will be spared a tidal wave like in Paris-Nice, but also Peter Sagan (covid in January, flu after the opening weekend, nauseous in Italy) and Caleb Ewan (annoyance after a minor fall) have already gone home earlier than planned.
Small beer compared to what happened yesterday in France. No fewer than 18 riders did not show up at the start of the 5th stage.
Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl is back in the corner where the blows fall: Yves Lampaert is struggling with sinusitis and may have to pass for Milan-Sanremo, too Zdenek Stybar has been felled.
In the Belgian camp, the bacteria also stopped at, among others, Amaury Capiot, Stan Dewulf and Jens Keukeleire.
Matteo Trentin is already at home, although there were no germs involved with him. The Italian is said to have suffered a concussion after a heavy blow in Paris-Nice.
The exception: Mathieu van der Poel
The list is very extensive, but does not yet know its end point. This morning scissors Jasper Philipsen joined the infirmary in his team. He also rests his body.
Rest, that’s whatever Sonny Colbrelli needed after the first day of Paris-Nice. Due to bronchitis, he kept the stage race limited to that one stage.
But fortunately it is not doom and gloom everywhere: Mathieu van der Poel seems ready for his return. The Coppi e Bartali cycling week (March 22-26) would be his season debut.
Is your team also at the start?
Put your team together on time and become the cycling manager of 2022!
