Wout van Aert leaves Tour de France 2023 to be with pregnant wife - ‘We decided my place is now at home’
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ByEurosport
Updated 20/07/2023 at 08:01 GMT
Wout van Aert has left the Tour de France. The 28-year-old’s team, Jumbo–Visma, released a statement saying that Van Aert had left the Tour to be with his wife, who is due to imminently give birth to their second child. Stage 18 of the Tour begins on Thursday, with another three stages to go before its conclusion on Sunday in Paris. Stream the 2023 Tour de France live and on-demand on discovery+
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Team Jumbo–Visma have announced that Wout van Aert has left the Tour de France to return home to be alongside his wife, who is due to give birth.
The Belgian, who won the green jersey at the Tour last year, departs in the final week with four stages of the Grand Tour remaining.
“As everyone knows, Sarah is pregnant,” said Van Aert in a video posted by his team Jumbo–Visma.
“Things are starting to get a bit tight at home. In consultation with the team, we have decided that my place is now at home.
“We have been seeing the doctor at home for the last few weeks. He has assessed that labour is imminent. That’s why we have made this decision."
Van Aert leaves the Tour having failed to collect a stage win at the 2023 event – his best finish was second on Stage 2 and Stage 15.
The Belgian finished on the podium four times in total, coming third on Stage 8 and Stage 16.
But he was unable to repeat the heroics of last year, when Van Aert won three stages to claim the points classification.
However, his team leader Jonas Vingegaard leads the general classification by 7’35’ after astonishing displays on Stage 16 and Stage 17.
“I often had the legs to win the stage, but it didn’t happen. It gives me mixed feelings," said Van Aert.
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Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)
Image credit: Getty Images
"Results are one thing; the feeling on the bike is another. It was super good. The experience with the guys was excellent.
“To be able to fight for our goals again gave me morale. I look back on this Tour in a positive way. But I will always remember this Tour as the one where I called home every day, and this is where I will leave the Tour.“
Although Van Aert was sorry not to make it to the famous final Stage on the Champs-Elysee, he had no regrets about his decision.
“On the one hand, it’s a strange feeling, but it’s not a dilemma. It’s an easy decision," said Van Aert.
"I always thought that I would go home when my wife indicated that she needed me. That time has come. So in that respect, it’s not a dilemma.
“I told the boys at dinner last night. I am delighted they have all understood the decision and are 100% behind me. These seven guys will perform well for the rest of the Tour. Everything will be fine.
“I started the Tour hoping to make it to Paris. I was in touch with home every day. My wife had a short line to the doctor.
“We had agreed that if she was close to giving birth, and me being on the Tour no longer felt comfortable, I would go home. In agreement with the team, we knew that was how we would handle it."
Van Aert leaves with Jumbo-Visma sitting top of the team rankings, 15'15" ahead of Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates.
The 28-year-old departs while fourth in the green jersey standings with 154 points, 169 behind runaway leader Jasper Philipsen [Alpecin-Deceuninck].
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