Dutch cyclist Olav Kooij, hailed for his sprint prowess, made a tough call to withdraw from the Giro d'Italia due to illness, as confirmed by his team Visma on Tuesday, just two days after his monumental victory,
The 22-year-old rising star clinched his debut grand tour stage win with a spectacular bike throw finish, outmanoeuvring rival Jonathan Milan on Sunday. Yet, the euphoria was short-lived as Kooij succumbed to illness following the race's rest day on Monday, forcing him to bid adieu to the remainder of the competition.
In a heartfelt message, Visma shared, "This Giro d’Italia sweeps us through a range of emotions. Olav Kooij developed a fever during the rest of the day. He is unable to continue. Get well soon, Grand Tour stage winner."
Visma's challenges compound with the absence of their injured leader, Wout Van Aert, alongside setbacks from crashes sidelining Robert Gesink and Christophe Laporte during the race.
Meanwhile, the tenth stage, commencing from Pompeii and spanning 142km to Cusano Mutri, adds altitude dynamics, elevating the stakes for the contenders. Slovenian powerhouse Tadej Pogacar commands a comfortable lead in the overall standings, followed by Colombian Daniel Martinez at 2 minutes and 40 seconds, with Welsh contender Geraint Thomas trailing by an additional 18 seconds.
