“He’s not going anywhere and he’s staying with us.” Wednesday afternoon, Jonas Vingegaard, in a firm tone, was categorical about the near future of Wout van Aert as rumors around his Jumbo-Visma teammate swelled in the Tour caravan. Rumors evoked an imminent departure of the Dane’s luxury lieutenant to join his partner who is about to give birth to their second child.
Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) was at the origin of this rumor after giving an interview to Danish television TV2, even indicating that the Jumbo-Visma rider was going to leave the peloton at the end of the tenth stage. False information even if the companion of the Dutchman is due to give birth in the next few days. “I don’t intend to miss this,” Van Aert said shortly before mid-June about this happy event. A statement that gave credence to Skjelmose’s words.
“We talked about it during the team meeting. I then said in an interview on Danish television that Jumbo-Visma would give everything for Van Aert since he would come home. It was stupid of me and I apologize,” the Danish rider told Sporza news agency.
The media release of Skjelmose had caused annoyance and even anger in the ranks of the Jumbo-Visma which hopes to be able to count on its rider when the stages of the Alps start on Friday. “Wout sent me a message to which I replied. I hope I can still apologize to him in the peloton and then this matter will be closed,” added the 22-year-old rider.
