🎥 Visma | Lease a Bike loses Kooij for the time being — a major blow, but what exactly happened?

Kooij, who also crashed on Wednesday in Classic Brugge-De Panne, was positioned as the clear team leader for Visma | Lease a Bike at Gent-Wevelgem. "Kooij has made a step forward this winter. He deserves our full support in Gent-Wevelgem," team director Grischa Niermann said before the race.

The Dutchman, who finished eighth in Milan-San Remo, was well placed on the Kemmelberg and was riding right on Pedersen’s wheel on the first of the three plug streets when the Dane launched his attack. While fellow sprinter Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) suffered a flat tire, we suddenly didn’t see Kooij in the footage anymore.

It turned out Kooij had crashed — though there was no footage of the incident — and was suddenly seen sitting in the grass on the side of the road, clearly in pain on the left side of his arm. The classic "broken collarbone position" was immediately apparent. Kooij did not get back on his bike and exited Gent-Wevelgem after his crash. Doctors at the hospital later confirmed the fear.

The sprinter was also scheduled to race Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday, but after his unfortunate crash at Gent-Wevelgem, that plan can now be scrapped. After that, the Dutchman was set to go on a high-altitude training camp, and then head to Eschborn-Frankfurt to build toward the Giro d’Italia, which begins on Friday, May 9.

Team director Arthur van Dongen told IDLProCycling.com after Gent-Wevelgem what he knew at that moment about his team leader’s condition. "Olav missed a corner. He was on Pedersen’s wheel, exactly where he needed to be. That was strong and well done. There was a corner in that section, and that’s where he slipped. All signs point to a broken collarbone." That was confirmed shortly afterward. Pedersen also said he heard it happen: "But I didn’t have time to look back. I hope Olav is okay," said the Dane.

Van Dongen was clearly disappointed by the situation. "If he hadn’t crashed there — and I know ‘if’ doesn’t count — I think he would’ve been pulled up to the front by Pedersen without much effort. Victor was already up there, and Kooij could’ve stayed with them for a long time. It’s tough to take, but it is what it is. The fact that he could follow Mads shows he has taken a really impressive step forward in the classics."

What’s the prevailing feeling at Visma | Lease a Bike? "Sh*t, bad luck... The fact that Olav is out is what dominates now. But it is what it is. We’ll have to wait and see what the final verdict is. I’m afraid we’ll have to adjust our plans, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves," Van Dongen concluded.