True. I assume he's on 28's, but seems like at least 30's would be a better bet if he coming into PR at 175lbs+. Speaking of Roubaix and 32's, the Specialized Roubaix 32 is one helluva tire for $40 US. Certainly not a WT level piece of equipment, but for your average hack that tire can handle a lot off-road and it rolls super fast on the road. Great "groad" tire if you have decent handle and use a little finesse on the dirt.
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Wout was on tubeless 30s with tire inserts at Roubaix in 2023. Mathieu raced on 32s (or at least finished on 32s, as he did a planned bike change before the major cobbles started): https://escapecollective.com/paris-roubaix-tech-part-2-bikes-bikes-and-more-bikes/
What do you guys recommend for Flanders? I'm doing the Flanders classic in Summer, is 32 recommendable for an amateur surviving the cobbles.
OT: again quite a disappointing TT for Wout. Wondering what his last top notch Time Trial was and I think we have to back to the Belgian champs last year June. Lack of focus on aerodynamics?
OT: again quite a disappointing TT for Wout. Wondering what his last top notch Time Trial was and I think we have to back to the Belgian champs last year June. Lack of focus on aerodynamics?
Don't you guys read pre- or post-race interviews?
Wout said before the TT that he didn't train on the time trial bike during winter training camps at all. It's something he'll get back to when the classics campaign is done. After the race he confirmed it again, and you could notice that he wasn't really disappointed with his rather underwhelming performance.
Yeah sure, but losing so much time on a 22k TT, while he said he was going all out, still makes it a mediocre performance. 11th in Algarve, losing time to the likes of Herregodts, Healy and Tratnik isn't a great performance. Not that it says anything about his spring season, but just as I was impressed on Friday by his mighty sprint, this was not great.
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I think it's on purpose that he is not in as good form as he usually would be at this point. He was also lacking in Jaén and on Foía. I don't expect him to get any results in the opening weekend, but to help set up his team.
Then the altitude camp, and he will return like it's August 1 2020.
Then the altitude camp, and he will return like it's August 1 2020.
I hope so. Because he is starting to worry me. Does someone suddenly find their form from 3 years ago?
Bernal, I hope.
Let's give it time. Wout has been operating on a different training schedule this winter compared to previous years. He did not go "all in" for CX and wants to save his matches for his main objectives. If his main goal is on March 31, 2024, should he be in top form in the middle of February? He still has a few weeks to "put the icing on the cake".
Fair enough. But I doubt he isn’t going to try to win omloops and possibly kbk. I feel like we should know soon what form is hidden if any
My take is that Van Aert will never win a major TT title. He was very close in 2021 and I believe he could have very well taken it in 2022, if he had race in Wollongong but after watching him lose around 1:30 min to Remco and almost as much to Ganna in the WCTT and 45 sec to Tarling in the ECTT, last season, I don't see him beating these big guns in the Olympics and Worlds TT.
However I still think that he is going to win a cobbled monument and possibly a World Championship or even the Olympic road race this season, he was 2nd, 2×3rd and 4th in the major one day races, last year, so I would be surprised if he finishes his career 'only' with that MSR win.
There's way too much bipolar hysteria around Van Aert.
He does a leadout for Kooij, who wins. It's a disgrace and he should always sprint for himself!
He has a flat tire. He is a bad bike handler so he always flats at the wrong moments!
He gets dropped on a climb by proper climbers. He's completely lost it!
He wins a bunch sprint against a couple of third tier sprinters. He's back!
He does a so-so time trial, not having trained on his TT bike at all. He's lost it again!
Van Aert is a good rider, probably the most human of the extraterrestrials in cycling today, but just an allround really strong rider. Maybe it's time for people to curb their expectations a little. He can win the biggest races, he just needs a little luck and, like he has this year, a little more focus instead of trying to be good all year round.
He’s Belgian. And he shoulders the weight of those expectations.
If his legacy is other teammates wins, then we can temper our expectations accordingly.
If his legacy is other teammates wins, then we can temper our expectations accordingly.
Bernal from 2021 or 2019 would not be able.to follow Vingegaard at all.
He's putting all his eggs in one basket. If he wins Flanders or Roubaix, people will say the new approach was a stroke of genius. If he doesn't win they'll say it was a disaster.
Personally I have my doubts about skipping Milan-Sanremo. That's a race he could win and at the same time a good preparation for the other classics. The idea is probably to come back from altitude camp in blazing form. We'll see if it works.
Personally I have my doubts about skipping Milan-Sanremo. That's a race he could win and at the same time a good preparation for the other classics. The idea is probably to come back from altitude camp in blazing form. We'll see if it works.
It's interesting, good sprint, underperforming at ITT and an intense ride to light up the stage/race. Looks more like some sort of a training schedule to me.
The problem is: MVP is doing the same. Pogi has one of his best shots in MSR.
Everything I've seen written about Van der Poel's program this year has him starting road racing at Sanremo the latest. Maybe Strade or Tirreno beforehand as well.
Pursuant to the conversation elsewhere about weight. Wout is looking skinnier to me. Am I seeing things that aren't true?
Totally agree about San Remo, hard to understand (of course I’ve read the explanations).
Wout van Aert is at an very interesting stage in his career. I have the feeling he might start to decline, but as long as there are no crashes it won't be a decline as spectacular as alaphilippe. So he will still be very good. Just not mutantlevel anymore.
At the same time his team has improved spectacularly over the years. Just compare the names of his team in flanders in 2019/2020 to the lineup that will start Omloop. This Visma LAB seems like the new Wolfpack. In a team that strong, worse riders then Van Aert have won the best monuments (someone like Niki Terpstra for instance).
Ofcourse at the same time his team can also be a problem. The nightmare scenario is that Mvdp keeps marking him while he let's the tratniks and laportes of this world sail in to the sunset.
Can't wait to see how it will play out.
At the same time his team has improved spectacularly over the years. Just compare the names of his team in flanders in 2019/2020 to the lineup that will start Omloop. This Visma LAB seems like the new Wolfpack. In a team that strong, worse riders then Van Aert have won the best monuments (someone like Niki Terpstra for instance).
Ofcourse at the same time his team can also be a problem. The nightmare scenario is that Mvdp keeps marking him while he let's the tratniks and laportes of this world sail in to the sunset.
Can't wait to see how it will play out.
Actually I have had the same thoughts. He has more visible furrows (is that the right word?) on his cheeks than usual, I think.
I think this is a good assesment.
The strength in numbers could also be something that benefits him though, if he races with that mentality and not as a sole leader. Maybe that will also ease the pressure on him. They should really try to adapt the "Wolfpack-strategy" that was so successful, they have the riders for it.
Let Trantnik attack or Laporte or Hagenes or Van Baarle, if they sail away it will be up to other teams to do something. They win, it is still good for the team.
Likely they will only get away once or twice and Van Aert could get his chance eventually, if he plays his cards right and pick his moment after letting others do the work. He gets to be the one who sails away. I think he will just take one win in Ronde or P-R at this point. I think it is his best shot to win a big race, or hope it ends in a sprint, because he probably wont be strong enough to drop someone like MVDP in a H2H. Unless he finds his absolute best level and MVDP is out of form, a scenario which I guess shouldnt be ruled out completely.
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I don't see any reason to assume he is declining. Considering his training schedule for this season I would say he's looking pretty good and on track for the classics.
I sense wout will
I am very interested to see what an entirely focused on the classics Wout looks like, he may be amazing this year now he is not peaking in July...
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