• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

Page 176 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
The problem isn't the gift of GW. The problem was not getting the big wins he is capable of, was targeting, and actually cares about. If he gifts it or not it makes no difference, it would still be a underperforming season.
Van Aert is a riding paradox. On one hand he is a rider of stature who should compete only for monuments, on the other hand he and his palmares aren't good enough to give away Wevelgem.
 
So, if that's the case, did he ever had a "performing" season then, other than 2020?
Not to my mind, despite picking up a ton of points in 21 and 22.

If you told me in 2018 that he'd have just 1 each of MSR, Amstel and SB as his only big one-day race wins in the next five years, I wouldn't have believed you.

All that said, he's done some mind-blowing stuff in the TDF, so maybe that’s his real legacy.
 
What I don't understand though, if they are actually going for this, and want to do it properly, forget about the classics. You can't be 100% at De Ronde and Roubaix, in the right shape, and then also do the Giro. They both need a different physique, so he needs to choose, and the other won't go as planned.
This was my thought. He needs to be heavier for Roubaix than the Giro, so thin as he can be for the Giro...seems like not enough time to get down in weight. Even 10K meters less than last year, is still a lot of climbing...However, with Skelator, Ski Jumper, Boy Whiner and Helmet Hair all doing the Tour...maybe more of a chance than not?
 
Last edited:
As expected, it's a BS story. Jumbo haven't even had their discussions about the rider's programmes for next year yet.

 
As expected, it's a BS story. Jumbo haven't even had their discussions about the rider's programmes for next year yet.

To be fair the article (or at least the headline which is all I can read) didn't say Wout was going to the Giro, it just said that he was "expected" to go to the Giro. Maybe the writer is the only one who expects it at this time?
 
So, if that's the case, did he ever had a "performing" season then, other than 2020?
Yeah, every f**king year...this type of comment is sofa king stupid. He has performed extremely well every year he has raced.
Good tour performances of previous years were very impressive, that's been where he has shone and dominated. Didn't pan out this year. So it wasn't a great year for him. PR he was looking very good and was unlucky.

I never said he wasn't good this year, he just didn't get the wins. Partly due to bad luck, sometimes due to not being the best rider on the day and partly due to prioritizing tour over other goals, or even prioritizing team goals over his own.

I doubt if you ask wout if he is content with his results this year he says yes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan