Team DSM’s Joris Nieuwenhuis will not compete in any further races during this cyclocross season. The combination of a positive COVID-19 test and some complaints with his back resulted in an extended period of limited training, which has set Nieuwenhuis back in form from his big season goals in the early part of the new year. While things are heading in the right direction, both Joris and the team have together decided to not put any additional stress or pressure on his recovery.
Nieuwenhuis said: “It’s been hard to have to make this call, but it feels like the right one and feels like a relief to make it. With the team we’ve worked hard on trying to make our way up and build form during the cyclocross campaign, but after starting the season with some back problems and then getting COVID-19, it was not easy to maintain a solid shape. Rationally, we made the decision to not hurry things now and take our time preparing for the road season next year, with things currently going well here at team camp.”
Team DSM head coach Rudi Kemna added: “This cyclocross season we have faced some challenges, like a lot of people have due to COVID-19, which resulted in Joris not being able to train and prepare in the best way possible for our upcoming goals. To take the pressure off we have together decided to give Joris the time he needs to get back to full race fitness and end his season at this stage, so that we can build together in a really good way ahead of our early season spring classics goals on the road in 2022.”
