Teams & Riders Offical Wout Van Aert thread

[tobydawq]

Only 13th today. Pathetic and his worst ever result on Italian soil.

 

[BlueRoads]

On the decline.

 

[OlavEH]

Well, he's a jack of all trades of extremely high level that he'll take more than enough wins anyway. But still... it's my only doubt when I see him riding GC. His punchiness on climbs is slightly less, or maybe it's just that he isn't in top shape yet. idk. Just something i wonder

Just hope he doesn't aim for the the GC in Grand Tours at least. He can win just about every type of one day race and several of the one-week races too. Especially the ones that doesn't contain longer MTFs. And we definitely need him to battle Van der Poel in the classics. I would much rather see Van Aert battling for victories in allmost all momuments and other semi classics in addition to perhaps 2 or 3 one-week races each year instead of decreasing his chances in this races to possibly be a better GT contender.

And it's also kind of amazing that even if Van Aert is a fantastic rider, I still consider him only to be the fourth most exciting/talent riders for the coming years after Evenepoel, Van der Poel and Pogacar. That says much of today's cycling talents!

 

[Netserk]

Just hope he doesn't aim for the the GC in Grand Tours at least. He can win just about every type of one day race and several of the one-week races too. Especially the ones that doesn't contain longer MTFs. And we definitely need him to battle Van der Poel in the classics. I would much rather see Van Aert battling for victories in allmost all momuments and other semi classics in addition to perhaps 2 or 3 one-week races each year instead of decreasing his chances in this races to possibly be a better GT contender.

And it's also kind of amazing that even if Van Aert is a fantastic rider, I still consider him only to be the fourth most exciting/talent riders for the coming years after Evenepoel, Van der Poel and Pogacar. That says much of today's cycling talents!

Focus on classics in spring, lose weight and punch for the summer. Thomas in 2015 could combine the two. I think van Aert will too this year.

 

[Big Doopie]

wins flat bunch sprint.

dominates TT.

have not seen that combo since freddy maertens.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

+2nd on GC +9th in though mt stage

 

[tobydawq]

One-trick pony.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

to top the week off he beats ganna in the itt (and all others obviously). After such a hard week. Incredible.

Almost a shame he is a 'helper' to Roglic in the TDF. Unbelievable

 

[BlueRoads]

Just hope he doesn't aim for the the GC in Grand Tours at least. He can win just about every type of one day race and several of the one-week races too. Especially the ones that doesn't contain longer MTFs. And we definitely need him to battle Van der Poel in the classics. I would much rather see Van Aert battling for victories in allmost all momuments and other semi classics in addition to perhaps 2 or 3 one-week races each year instead of decreasing his chances in this races to possibly be a better GT contender.

And it's also kind of amazing that even if Van Aert is a fantastic rider, I still consider him only to be the fourth most exciting/talent riders for the coming years after Evenepoel, Van der Poel and Pogacar. That says much of today's cycling talents!

Usually I would agree, I don't like (possible) great one day racers becoming mediocre GT contenders. But van Aert - he can win the Tour, at least podium, without a doubt. I think it's worth it for him. And all in all... I don't rate him below those anymore. While they have, in all their allround talent, their specialties, he doesn't really. He just does it all.

 

[OlavEH]

Usually I would agree, I don't like (possible) great one day racers becoming mediocre GT contenders. But van Aert - he can win the Tour, at least podium, without a doubt. I think it's worth it for him. And all in all... I don't rate him below those anymore. While they have, in all their allround talent, their specialties, he doesn't really. He just does it all.

But can he do it without compromising his abilities as a one day rider?

 

[Spine Concept]

Gtf in there Wout. What a ride, what a beast.

Where are the people who said Pog would beat him in the tt?

With better support and enough tt kms I can’t see why he wouldn’t be able to win a GT. Pog and Rog won’t contest every GT.

He does need better support though!

 

[Oldermanish]

to top the week off he beats ganna in the itt (and all others obviously). After such a hard week. Incredible.

Almost a shame he is a 'helper' to Roglic in the TDF. Unbelievable

After putting 3 minutes into Bernal Jumbo should let him explore his options in the TdF. TomDom is pondering his future elsewhere and they could surely let Wout chill a bit more with other riders doing the tractor-ing, couldn't they? Roglic could use the tandem threat against Poga' and force the kid to work early and often.

 

[tobydawq]

Gtf in there Wout. What a ride, what a beast.

Where are the people who said Pog would beat him in the tt?

Did anybody say that?

 

[topcat]

wins flat bunch sprint.

dominates TT.

have not seen that combo since freddy maertens.

1988: Sean Kelly won a sprint stage, the itt and the gc at the vuelta.

 

[Bonimenier]

wins flat bunch sprint.

dominates TT.

have not seen that combo since freddy maertens.

WVA Dauphiné 2019.

 

[Lui98]

Did anybody say that?

No, but @Spine Concept seems to be obsessed with Pogačar

 

[jmdirt]

Just hope he doesn't aim for the the GC in Grand Tours at least. He can win just about every type of one day race and several of the one-week races too. Especially the ones that doesn't contain longer MTFs. And we definitely need him to battle Van der Poel in the classics. I would much rather see Van Aert battling for victories in allmost all momuments and other semi classics in addition to perhaps 2 or 3 one-week races each year instead of decreasing his chances in this races to possibly be a better GT contender.

And it's also kind of amazing that even if Van Aert is a fantastic rider, I still consider him only to be the fourth most exciting/talent riders for the coming years after Evenepoel, Van der Poel and Pogacar. That says much of today's cycling talents!

^ This^

 

[johnymax]

No, but @Spine Concept seems to be obsessed with Pogačar

If I remember correctly, there were a couple of posters (or it was only one maybe) who were questioning, why people expected Wout to beat Pogačar in the ITT. But I think the majority expected today's outcome with WvA 10-15s up on Pogačar. The unexpected thing was Ganna not winning.

 

[jmdirt]

Nice ride young man!

I don't agree with the people who want to see him become a GT guy (unless he wants that). Maybe that's because I find races other than GTs more compelling (I'm not saying that GTs aren't compelling).

 

[tobydawq]

If I remember correctly, there were a couple of posters (or it was only one maybe) who were questioning, why people expected Wout to beat Pogačar in the ITT. But I think the majority expected today's outcome with WvA 10-15s up on Pogačar. The unexpected thing was Ganna not winning.

I think I questioned a poster claiming that Wout would take enough time to win the GC.

 

[johnymax]

I think I questioned a poster claiming that Wout would take enough time to win the GC.

Yeah, but it wasn't you. I think it was one (or more) poster saying that Pogačar was better on the flat in the PdBF ITT, so he should be the favourite against WvA here.

 

[BlueRoads]

Nice ride young man!

I don't agree with the people who want to see him become a GT guy (unless he wants that). Maybe that's because I find races other than GTs more compelling (I'm not saying that GTs aren't compelling).

I find one day races more interesting, too. But if I was a rider and able to podium, maybe even win the Tour, I would still go for that. And I doubt many riders would think otherwise. The problem to me is that the route this year looks so, so good for him, but it's probably one year too early for him. Don't know what things will look like next year.

 

[Ripper]

I find one day races more interesting, too. But if I was a rider and able to podium, maybe even win the Tour, I would still go for that. And I doubt many riders would think otherwise. The problem to me is that the route this year looks so, so good for him, but it's probably one year too early for him. Don't know what things will look like next year.

I don't think he has a chance this year. Too much recovery required from major climbs. He needs to lose more muscle in order to make the climbs easier, physiologically. Perhaps he can go that direction in the future, but I don't see him making the rapid sacrifice this year, especially given it would hurt in other ways, and not just this season. I think he still wants to win some races.

This said, if he makes major changes like that to his body composition in the next few months, and his recovery improves, then I won't be able to talk about the why on this forum!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

the scary thing is he is 26 and might still improve

Or as Richard Plugge said in in het Wiel the other day "He is still continiously improving from what we see. The Van Aert in 2021 is much much stronger than the one in 2019 before the crash even."

 

[OlavEH]

I find one day races more interesting, too. But if I was a rider and able to podium, maybe even win the Tour, I would still go for that. And I doubt many riders would think otherwise. The problem to me is that the route this year looks so, so good for him, but it's probably one year too early for him. Don't know what things will look like next year.

Well, aim to be the most winning one-day rider at least since Sean Kelly, or to be a GC contender? Or are both possible?