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Van Aert focused on working his way back to form: Daily News Digest

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Welcome to your Daily News Digest. Here’s what’s happening today:

Wout van Aert is home and focusing on working his way back to form after another surgery, CCC signs Matteo Trentin for 2020, Zwift adds new roads. Those stories and more in today’s Daily News Digest.

Story of the Day: Van Aert recovering at home after second surgery

Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) has returned home after a longer-than-expected stint in the hospital.

The 24-year-old Belgian, who crashed out of the stage 13 time trial at the Tour de France, was initially treated for a deep gash in his leg at a hospital in Pau. According to Sporza, however, van Aert required a second surgery upon transfer to a hospital in Herentals, Belgium, after doctors told him the initial operation had not been done properly.

“It was not a dramatic crash, but due to the treatment that left a lot to be desired in France, it could have been worse if we had not been quick,” van Aert told Sporza. “I am glad that I fell into the hands of [surgeon] Toon Claes and that he quickly intervened at the right time.”

All told, van Aert spent nearly two weeks in the hospital. He now faces a lengthy recovery process to regain strength in his right leg.

“I have to go through the rehabilitation first to use my muscles properly and to be able to walk,” he said. “That will take a few weeks. Only then will the rehabilitation begin to regain strength and cycle again. I will not cycle for a long time and I will have lost a lot.”

That said, van Aert vowed to put in the work he knows will be required to return to form.

“If I work hard for it, I will return to my normal level,” he said. “I’d rather do it more patiently than quickly.”

Moving Pictures

The best cure for the post-Tour de France blues is to get back to watching bike racing, and fortunately this weekend offers an overload of WorldTour events.

For starters, Saturday offers the scenic, always entertaining Clásica San Sebastián …

This year’s event also features a women’s edition, and Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) will be among the big names in the mix. Speaking of women’s racing, the WorldTour-level RideLondon Classique kicks off on Saturday as well.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Europe, the long-tenured stage race that is the Tour of Poland also gets underway on Saturday. Then there’s Sunday’s RideLondon men’s race, which will feature several marquee sprinters.

Watch it all and you might even forget the fact that the next Tour is 11 long months away.

Race Radio

CCC signs Trentin for 2020

Matteo Trentin is headed to CCC in 2020. The Polish WorldTour team announced the signing of the Italian on Friday, his 30th birthday.

“Not only will Matteo add strength to our Classics team, where he will ride alongside Greg Van Avermaet, but his versatility as a rider will make him an asset to the team,” said CCC general manager Jim Ochowicz. “As we saw in the Tour de France, not only can Matteo sprint, but he can also climb and it was his attack on the final climb on stage 17 that led him to the impressive solo stage win.”

Matteo Trentin on the attack on stage 17 of the Tour de France. Photo: Peter de Voecht/PN/Cor Vos ©

Trentin has spent the past two seasons with Mitchelton-Scott after first turning pro in the Quick-Step organization. He has compiled a strong resume over the past few years, winning stages across all three Grand Tours, and he is Europe’s reigning Continental road champion.

Thomas eyes worlds TT

With the Tour de France in the rearview mirror, Geraint Thomas (Ineos) is looking ahead to a new objective. The 33-year-old Welshman said on the Watts Occuring podcast he hosts with teammate Luke Rowe that he is eyeing the world road championships.

“Obviously I’ve got a decent base behind me now with all the training for the Tour plus the actual Tour, so hopefully I won’t have to do too much volume, it’s just get out on the TT bike and smash out a few efforts and try and stay sober,” he said.

Thomas is hoping to ride the road race as well, likely in a support role.

Geraint Thomas at the Tour de France. Photo: Gregory van Gansen/Cor Vos © 2019

“The worlds being in the UK is massive for us Brits, so I’d love to go there in the road race and do a decent job for Swifty, who I’m guessing will be the main man,” he said.

Dumoulin still a question mark for worlds

Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) is still recovering from the nagging knee injury that knocked him out of the Giro d’Italia and ultimately kept him from racing the Tour de France.

The issue has already likely taken a possible Vuelta a España start off the table, and according to De Limburger, a worlds start for the 2017 world TT champ is now uncertain as well.

“It seems to be getting very tight for him,” Dutch coach Koos Moerenhout told De Limburger. “I have regular contact with Tom about the progress. He must first get fit and his knee must be fully resilient. Hopefully he recovered on time, but that is now a question mark for everyone.”

Tech News

Zwift adds more roads

Zwift has announced further expansions to its Watopia world, with the new landscape taking inspiration from the giant Sequoia trees of the Sierra Nevada.

Dubbed Titan’s Grove, and according to the press release, the expansion includes “three gradual climbs right at about 5% gradient over approximately 5.5 miles (8.85km) of new road.”

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Feature Image: Wout van Aert wins stage 10 of the Tour de France. Photo: Peter de Voecht/PN/Cor Vos © 2019

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