VN news ticker: Kasper Asgreen wins Volta ao Algarve TT, Wout van Aert confirms appendicitis

Kasper Asgreen wins Volta ao Algarve TT, Ethan Hayter defends GC lead

Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) beat Rafael Reis (Efapel) and Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ) to win the stage 4 TT at Volta ao Algarve on Saturday.

Overnight race leader Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) came back from a crash early in his ride to finish ninth on the 20.3km time trial. The 22-year-old retains his GC lead heading into the hilly final stage Sunday.

Asgreen had taken a month off the bike after his dominant classics campaign, and the Portuguese tour is his first race back in the saddle since he won the Tour of Flanders at the start of April. He now sits third on GC.

Victory for @k_asgreen and the Wolfpack on stage 4 of the #VoltaAlgarve21, after another great ride of the Danish powerhouse!#No24in2021 #WayToRide pic.twitter.com/5GVW9sLsvn

— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) May 8, 2021

João Almeida to leave Deceuninck-Quick-Step at end of season

After much speculation, it has been confirmed that Portuguese talent João Almeida will be riding in new colors in 2022.

Writing in his column for Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, Deceuninck-Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere confirmed that the 22-year-old’s contract would not be renewed at the close of the year. The news confirms weeks of rumors over Almeida’s future, who has been linked with UAE-Emirates, Bora-Hansgrohe and Movistar.

Almeida rolls out for the first stage of the Giro d’Italia on Saturday, captaining his team alongside returning star Remco Evenepoel.

Lefevere insisted that Almeida’s departure would not impact race strategy.

“It does not determine the tactical choices we make in this Giro. The legs will decide. I completely do not care if I win the Giro with a Belgian or a Portuguese,” he wrote.

“Anyone who knows me knows that the team jersey is more important to me than nationality. João is the leader, Remco has a free role. Later, if Remco is the stronger of the two and Almeida doesn’t do what we expect him to do, his bike will go in the truck and he will quit the race. And it will be exactly the same thing in the opposite case. ”

Wout van Aert reveals he’s been sidelined with appendicitis

Jump-Visma star Wout van Aert revealed Saturday he’s been been sidelined with appendicitis.

In a short message on Twitter, the Belgian star he’s recovering from appendicitis, and that he is preparing for a return to competition at the Tour de France and the Olympic Games.

There were no other immediate details, and he did not reveal if he underwent surgery. A ruptured appendix almost always requires surgery. Van Aert has not raced since winning Amstel Gold Race, and is slated to return at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

https://twitter.com/WoutvanAert/status/1391001452793978882