Stevie Williams ruled out of Tour de France due to knee injury
Struggling with a persistent knee issue, Welsh cyclist Stevie Williams announced he'll be sitting out the Tour de France and the upcoming British National Road Championships. The 29-year-old from Aberystwyth started his 2025 season in Australia at the Tour Down Under, but a tricky-to-manage quadriceps tendinopathy in his right knee has been causing him trouble.
The injury hasn't resolved despite his efforts to manage it, and Williams' racing season has taken a hit as a result. He did Race again in April at the Giro d'Abruzzo and Ardennes Classics but hasn't been fully recovered since then, leading to him not finishing his last three races—La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Eschborn-Frankfurt.
With the British Nationals due to take place in his hometown at the end of June, Williams shared the reasons for his limited racing this season on Instagram. "I've had this issue with my right knee since the start of my season in Australia, and it hasn't gone away. I was able to come back for Giro d'Abruzzo and the Ardennes but since then, things still aren't completely right. Unfortunately, this means I won't be able to race the national championships in Wales, or the Tour De France. I'm gutted to miss them, especially racing Nationals in front of a home crowd, but I'm working really hard to get back to full fitness with the support of the team and I hope I'll be back on the start line soon."
This isn't the first time Williams has dealt with a knee injury. Earlier in his professional career, he lost more than a year due to an injury in his left knee[1][2][3]. Despite the setbacks, Williams remains optimistic and expressed gratitude for the support of his team and the great people around him.
Although it's been frustrating not being able to race, Williams stressed the importance of taking time to heal properly, as rushing the recovery process wouldn't be beneficial in the long run. Here's to hoping Williams gets back to racing soon!
[1] https://www.pelotonia.org/learn/km-pain[2] https://www.bicycling.com/knee-pain[3] https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/cycling-injuries-knee-pain-heres-how-to-cope/[4] https://www.runnersworld.com/advice/a34887939/knee-pain-treatment/
Despite the setbacks, Williams' focus seems to have shifted from cycling to another sport he may pursue, possibly hockey, as he grapples with his ongoing knee issue. His optimistic spirit remains unwavering as he continues to work towards recovery, with the hope of returning to competition soon.
