Jenno Berckmoes has been forced to withdraw from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the race that kicks off the Flemish spring. The 24-year-old Lotto rider has been battling a bacterial infection, disrupting his original race plans.
Problems surfaced for Berckmoes last month during a high-altitude training camp in Denia, where he had to abandon his planned three-week block after just a week.
“I had headaches, became extremely tired very quickly, and felt light-headed,” he explains. “I wasn’t seriously ill, but it felt as if my battery kept running flat.”
Medical tests revealed a bacterial infection and notably high inflammation levels in his blood. “It may have been caused by food poisoning, but we will never know for sure,” he says. “In any case, I’m now on antibiotics.”
Building towards Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo
After a week off the bike, Berckmoes has recently resumed training. His original schedule included Classic Var on Friday, Tour des Alpes-Maritimes on Saturday, and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad the following weekend.
“That plan is now off the table,” he confirms. “First, I need to rebuild and make up for lost training time. Fortunately, my initial sessions have been reassuring—I’m making progress.”
His focus is now on returning at Strade Bianche on 8th March, aiming to be as close to top form as possible for Milan-San Remo on 22nd March.
Berckmoes has raced once this season, finishing 18th at the Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana in late January. Last year, he made an impression with victory at the Muur Classic in Geraardsbergen and the final stage of the Settimana Coppi e Bartali.
