🇨🇳 #TOG2024 Unfortunately, Milan was involved in the early crash and abandoned the race with an injured knee. More info will come later. We wish you a speedy recovery, Milan! 🍀
Visma | Lease a Bike suffers "significant sportive setback": "Milan was our key man"
CyclingThursday, 17 October 2024 at 08:29
Defending champion Milan Vader was at the start of the Tour of Guangxi. The Dutch climber was supposed to ride his last race in China for Visma | Lease a Bike, but after a crash in the third stage, he was forced to abandon the race. Thus, the last adventure with his team ends on a sad note.
Early in the third stage, a hill stage to Bama, Vader crashed. The consequences of the crash were so severe that he could not get back on his bike. He had fallen on his knee and was suffering considerably, his team reported on X. "Unfortunately, Milan was involved in the early crash and abandoned the race with an injured knee. More info will come later. We wish you a speedy recovery, Milan!" The Dutchman was not the only one who had to abandon the race. Favorite Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers) also dropped out.
Leaving the Tour of Guangxi is a double disappointment for Vader. Last year, the ex-mountain biker was the best in the Chinese WorldTour race. He won the queen stage to Nongla by staying ahead of Rémy Rochas (Cofidis) and consolidated his lead in the final stages to secure the overall victory. For him, the stage and final wins are still the only victories of his professional career.
Vader disappointed by early withdrawal: "I was really looking forward to it"
On the team website, both team leader Frans Maassen and the rider himself react to the unfortunate withdrawal. "Milan had a deep wound under his left knee. It was immediately clear that he could not continue," says Maassen. "Our own doctor stitched him up in the hotel. That went well and fortunately he is already walking around here again." Maassen is relieved that the damage to Vader is relatively minor. "Sportive-wise it's a big bummer, because Milan was our leading man. On the other hand, we realise it could have been much worse."
Then Vader comments on his withdrawal. "I looked at my knee and knew right away that I didn't need to try any further. I'm glad no one was more seriously injured because it didn't look good at first," he says, relieved that all involved escaped relatively unscathed. The crash happened during a descent. "Someone next to me hit a wheel in front of him and came up against me. I couldn't avoid him anymore, so we were among the first to crash."
As a result, Vader cannot defend his title in Guangxi. "I was really looking forward to it. The exciting days were yet to come. It is a shame that I had to abandon the race early." The withdrawal is especially bitter because it was his last race with his employer. He is moving to Q36.5 Pro Cycling, where he will be racing with, among others, Sjoerd Bax. There, he will have more opportunities to pursue personal success. "I’m really motivated to join Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. If you look at the team and there’s a forward movement, the equipment is great and it looks super professional," Vader said about his transfer earlier.
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024