Here's a hot take: Wout van Aert is the most valuable Tour de France rider of the last five years. 'Not Tadej Pogačar? Not Jonas Vingegaard?' I hear you already typing in the comments, and in many ways you're right, of course, but in terms of a rider who can do it all at this race, both for himself and for his team, no one comes close to Van Aert.
That's why this morning's news, that Van Aert has been ruled out of what would have been his eighth Tour de France, was so big. The Tour has lost a 10-time stage winner, Jonas Vingegaard has lost his most trusted bodyguard, and Visma-Lease a Bike have lost their biggest fan favourite.
