Tom Dumoulin forced to miss Valencia due to illness

Tom Dumoulin's start to the season has been put on hold after the Dutchman was forced to skip the upcoming Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana due to illness. The 29-year-old came down sick on Monday night and, with the five-day race starting on Wednesday, the decision to skip the event was announced Tuesday morning.

Dumoulin was using the race to mark his long-awaited comeback from injury, and the event was set to mark his first outing in Jumbo-Visma colours after he broke his contract with Team Sunweb last summer.

With the race set to start on Wednesday, the former Giro d’Italia winner took to Instagram to announce that he would not be taking part.

"The guys have just left for a training ride, here in Valencia. Unfortunately without me. I got sick last night and I will return to home to recover," he wrote.

"This is not the way I wanted to start the season, but we have to be wise. When you don't feel well, you'd better not race. I came to Spain to build up my condition, not to break it down. I hope to be back soon!"

Dumoulin has not raced competitively on the road since last summer’s Critérium du Dauphiné in France. His 2019 campaign was blighted by bad luck and injury, and he was forced to quit the Giro d’Italia after a heavy crash in the first week. He came back to race at the Dauphiné but failed to finish and required several surgeries on his right knee.

Jumbo-Visma have drafted in Paul Martens to replace Dumoulin in Valencia.