For Klaas Vantornout, the year will end in a bad way. The Sunweb rider already had to skip the races in Essen, Namur and Heusden-Zolder in recent weeks. On Tuesday, he will now also be missing from the start line in Loenhout.

In recent weeks, Klaas Vantornout missed several races due to a viral infection. Yesterday he made his comeback in Diegem where he finished 11th. "But the cold air didn't do Vantornout any good," his Sunweb-Napoleon Games team states.

"He has suffered from respiratory irritation again and therefore he will skip the race in Loenhout. Vantornout hopes to be back at full strength in Baal (January 1)," the team reports.

Vantornout explains the situation: "Yesterday evening in Diegem, the cold had a bad influence on my airways. I did not sleep and today I felt that I had barely recovered. The race in Diegem went well but I was there to go deep. I feel that now.

"If I'm stupid, I can destroy my whole season. Therefore I will skip the race in Loenhout. I think the chances are that I can start the next round of the Bpost Bank Trofee on January 1."