Wout van Aert has abandoned the Vuelta a España after suffering a serious crash during stage 16, which resulted in injuries to his knee and elbow. Despite his efforts to continue racing after an initial fall, he was forced to withdraw when he crashed again on a slippery descent, making it a challenging day for the Belgian rider who had previously led both the points and mountain classifications. Marc Soler of UAE Team Emirates won the stage, finishing 18 seconds ahead of Filippo Zana, while general classification leader Ben O'Connor maintained a narrow lead over Primoz Roglic. Van Aert had a successful run in the Vuelta prior to his crash, winning three stages and showing strong performances throughout. He is now facing uncertainty regarding his participation in the upcoming World Championships in Zurich due to his injuries. This crash adds to a series of misfortunes for Van Aert this season, following an earlier serious injury that affected his racing schedule.