Van Aert Leaves Tour de France to Be With Wife for Childbirth

Jumbo-Visma announced today that Belgian cyclist Wout van Aert has left the Tour de France to be with his wife, Sarah, who is expected to give birth to their second child. Van Aert's absence is not expected to impact his teammate and race leader Jonas Vingegaard, who is on track to win his second consecutive title after his rival Tadej Pogačar lost time due to a crash in stage 17 on Wednesday. Van Aert stated, "In consultation with the team, we decided that my place is at home now," adding that the family doctor informed him that his wife is expected to give birth soon. He remarked, "I always thought I would return home when my wife indicated that she needed me. Now is the time." Stage 18 will take place today, covering a distance of 185 kilometers from Moutier to Bourg-en-Bresse.