Tim Wellens, the Lotto Soudal rider, has been forced to remove the Belgian championships from his race calendar and will not be participating in the upcoming Tour de France. Wellens has been struggling with health issues for several weeks, making it difficult for him to perform at his best.
In a statement, Wellens expressed his disappointment, saying, “At the moment, my body isn’t reacting to the training stimulus the way I want it to. I can’t push the amount of watts I need to do well at the Tour de France. I don’t yet know what’s the reason behind this. Something isn’t right and needs to be solved.”
Team doctor Steven Bex confirmed that blood analysis and Covid tests showed no anomalies, but Wellens will undergo further examinations to determine the cause of his health issues. Lotto Soudal General Manager John Lelangue supported Wellens’ decision not to race, stating, “It is a wise decision not to start. At the Tour, there is no time to wait and see.”
Wellens remains hopeful for the future and plans to focus on his recovery and upcoming races. He said, “Now, I am going to have a good period of rest so I can find the good feeling again. Of course, I am disappointed not to be at the start of the most important race of the year, but there are indeed still a lot of nice races to come after the Tour.”
Despite his absence, Wellens expressed his support for his teammates and wished them all the best in the Tour de France. He will be cheering for Lotto Soudal from his home in Monaco.
Image: Photo News.
