The winding switchbacks on the descent of Collada Llomena were wet and treacherous. Everyone knows that rain and Spanish tarmac don’t mix well, especially when the conditions rest in that intermediate damp to dry state, when you can never quite tell exactly where the dangerous, slippery sections are. During stage 16 of the Vuelta a España, Felix Engelhardt of Team Jayco-Alula led the breakaway down the other side of the first-category climb with caution, with Visma-Lease a Bike’s Wout van Aert and Issac Del Toro of UAE Team Emirates close behind him. Despite how tentatively Engelhardt braked and lent through the corners on this dismal afternoon in northwest Spain, there was a sense of risk in the air.
It all came to a head on an innocuous right-hand bend when the German rider’s back wheel skidded out from underneath him. He fell first, the right side of his body scraping along the tarmac leaving pieces of shredded lycra behind him. Then it was Van Aert’s turn. While the Belgian is known to be a spectacular bike handler, Engelhardt’s fall had ruined his line and he had no choice but to brake on the corner. What came next was a somersault into the rocky verge that lined the side of the road. Van Aert was bloodied and bruised as he picked up his bike again and shook his head.
The 29-year-old remounted quickly, almost as if he was trying to ignore the brutal reality of the gaping gash on his arm and the hole that had appeared in his right knee. He wanted so badly to race on, and this is no surprise given the season he’s had so far. Crashes and injury have plagued Van Aert since the Classics in March and it’s taken him some time to work back to his best. In this Vuelta, it finally looked like things were getting back on track for the Belgian. He was winning again. He was doing crazy things on his bike. He was, once more, the Wout van Aert that we all know.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Three stage wins and three second places in stages of such varied terrain in one Grand Tour isn’t something that most bike riders can achieve. Van Aert can win in the mountains and in bunch sprints and everything in between. Nothing signifies this better than the fact that the Visma-Lease a Bike rider was leading both the mountain and points classifications in the race before his crash – a head-scratching phenomenon that only Van Aert can throw up. His attacking, aggressive racing style and eagerness to win has been a credit to the race over the last two-and-a-half weeks. But now, with just five stages to go, it all came to a sudden, painful stop on a rainy road in Asturias.
Despite his valiant attempts to keep racing, it was clear as soon as Van Aert tried to turn the pedals of his Cervélo bike that continuing was not an option. His right leg was failing him, and he was forced to pull to the side of the road, heartbroken and consoled by his team staff. In a race that he has given so much to, it shouldn’t have to end like this.
It’s fair to say that the Vuelta a España will feel the absence of Van Aert’s in these final days. He has provided stellar entertainment so far, winning the bunch sprint and the leader's jersey as early as stage two, then again on stage seven, before ripping up the script altogether and winning from the break on stage 10. He already had the points classification virtually sewn up ahead of stage 16 to Lagos de Covadonga, but still he got in the breakaway, using risky and innovative tactics to try and ensure he could win the mountains jersey too. This is who Van Aert is – a pure racer with an eagerness to win whatever he can, wherever he can. Despite his illustrious career so far, the Visma-Lease a Bike man has given his all to the Vuelta, and it’s for this very reason that Van Aert abandoning on stage 16 after his fall feels like such an unwarranted unhappy conclusion.
Still, if there’s one thing that Van Aert’s history in the sport has taught us, it’s his ability to return after setbacks. Once his injuries are checked and the damage is assessed, he will be hungry to taste success again. Whether that’s this season or next is yet to be determined, but either way, his performances at this Vuelta should be both respected and remembered. The last two weeks wouldn’t have been anywhere near as fun without Wout van Aert in the race – he’s put on a show of his trademark versatility that has, quite simply, been a delight to watch.
Cover image: Getty/Tim de Waele
