Wout van Aert Withdraws from Tour of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Wout van Aert has withdrawn from the Tour of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ahead of stage 6 due to elbow issues.

He won stage 5 in dominant fashion, but will now head back to Belgium for further checks.

Wout van Aert suffered a training crash before the race, which caused significant discomfort in his elbow.

He started the race with bandages on his elbow and knee, but still managed to win stage 5.

The withdrawal is a setback for Van Aert, who was looking to build momentum ahead of the Tour de France.

He had struggled to show form in the opening three stages, but bounced back with impressive sprints on Wednesday and Thursday.

Van Aert will travel back to Belgium for further medical examinations and will not participate in the remaining stages of the Tour of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

He is one of four non-starters announced ahead of the final mountain stages, alongside Michael Matthews, Matevž Govekar, and Hannes Wilksch.

The Visma-Lease a Bike team announced Van Aert's withdrawal on Friday morning, citing his ongoing elbow issues.

Van Aert's dominant stage 5 win will be remembered as a highlight of the race, despite his eventual withdrawal.

He will now focus on recovering from his injury and preparing for his next race.

The Tour of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will continue without Van Aert, with the remaining riders competing in the final mountain stages.

Van Aert's withdrawal is a disappointment for fans, who were looking forward to seeing him compete in the remaining stages.