Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[pastronef]

He still can go to the Giro. In 2 weeks, he can be back on the bike.

no reason to add stress to an already very stressfull situation. and he could even just ride Tour of Belgium and Tour de Wallonie before the Olympics

 

[Offline]

He can use the Tour to improve his shape to the Olympics, like van der poel did in the last Tour to the worlds. Let's see how he recovers.

Forsure.. But Visma have to many good riders to include one on 70-80% I think. But yeah let's see

 

[DNP-Old]

He still can go to the Giro. In 2 weeks, he can be back on the bike.

This post reminds me of that time when Jonathan Reis tore his ACL, his PCL, his MCL and dislocated his knee and the tv announcer of that day, Humberto Tan, happily announced that maybe per chance Reis could play again in the next match.

 

[Rackham]

He still can go to the Giro. In 2 weeks, he can be back on the bike.

Collarbone + ribs is a lot.

I don't see it. I also don't see the point either. Going to the Giro without any condition whatsoever would really serve no purpose considering the only purpose of going there was to improve his palmarès with stages wins & some jerseys.

 

[Breh]

Phyiscally, sure. It has done wonders for Van der Poel. Van Aert, however, has a wife and two kids. Very much doubt it would do good in regards to the mental health.

Doesn't MVDP live where he has lived his entire life, just north of Antwerp?

 

[DNP-Old]

Doesn't MVDP live where he has lived his entire life, just north of Antwerp?

He lives in Moraira now.

 

[Netserk]

I think he will stick to the plan from after the Giro. Olympics, Vuelta, Worlds. Depending on his recovery of course, but I'm sure he'll talk with the national coach when they know more.

 

[pastronef]

I think he will stick to the plan from after the Giro. Olympics, Vuelta, Worlds. Depending on his recovery of course, but I'm sure he'll talk with the national coach when they know more.

maybe riding at home, Belgium Tour and Wallonie Tour to get racing rythm

 

[Elos Anjos]

And apparently the crash was his fault. That's what's tragic.

He will comeback but that's one more empty season too much.

 

[Froome]

Forsure.. But Visma have to many good riders to include one on 70-80% I think. But yeah let's see

Yeah, but Van aert is so good that i think at 70/80% he can be better than guys like Benoot who is listed for the Tour.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Forsure.. But Visma have to many good riders to include one on 70-80% I think. But yeah let's see

Lol, it's Wout. At 80%, he is still better than 99% of the peloton.

 

[scribers]

It wouldn't surprise me if we are going to see Van aert in the Tour with Vingegaard.

This post needs some chain degreaser. At least let the hospital sort this out before you sign him up as a skeletor beneficial

 

[Red Rick]

Uh yeah I say Olympics, Vuelta and Worlds. Giro sounds nearly impossible, I don't think he wants to do his usual Tour de France again. I can imagine if you basically use Van Aert in the Laporte role instead of his usual role at the Tour, which would enable him to save more for the Olympics.

 

[Slavique Nuke]

He can use the Tour to improve his shape to the Olympics, like van der poel did in the last Tour to the worlds. Let's see how he recovers.

My guess is that racing in Visma will require more heavy-duty domestique work than MvdP's lead-out duty

 

[Rackham]

Yeah, but Van aert is so good that i think at 70/80% he can be better than guys like Benoot who is listed for the Tour.

The question should be "& do what at the Tour?".

He's not going to fight for race fitness & a come back from a bad injury with the sole purpose of riding dom for Vingegaard.

That's why he wasn't going to the Tour in the first place.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

This post reminds me of that time when Jonathan Reis tore his ACL, his PCL, his MCL and dislocated his knee and the tv announcer of that day, Humberto Tan, happily announced that maybe per chance Reis could play again in the next match.

If he was on arkea, wva would be back for roubaix!!!

 

[theyoungest]

The only thing I just can't understand is why Wout was sweating buckets of having to go too deep in freaking Algarve - something you do not actually have to do if you do not want to btw - but is out there asking his team to give 110% on a road on the way to Kanarieberg that has been known to be very dangerous.

It's Dwars door Vlaanderen mate, who cares if you take the turn to Kanarieberg in 12th wheel instead of 5th.

You tell him.

 

[KZD]

Crashes like this one from Van Aert and co just remind us how unfair and brutal this sport can be.

Hope that Van Aert can recover in order to be in shape for the second half of the season, whatever the races he ends up doing.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Collarbone + ribs is a lot.

I don't see it. I also don't see the point either. Going to the Giro without any condition whatsoever would really serve no purpose considering the only purpose of going there was to improve his palmarès with stages wins & some jerseys.

Rib fractures are frustratingly hard to live with, because there is no way to completely isolate them. My broken ribs were the most painful recovery of a broken bone, I have ever had. And, I think there was a report of a partially collapsed lung. This will not be a 6 week recovery. Olympics and Worlds...possibly the Tour, but I think that is in doubt.

 

[Salvarani]

Ribs are probably worse than the collarbone.

That can annoy you for months.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Ribs are probably worse than the collarbone.

That can annoy you for months.

Landa broke his ribs on giro stage 5 2021 and was not able to hit a good level again until the following season

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

This may sound way out of bounds, but I think there is a chance he will retire after this. The mental strain he has had to get to this point, and the mental strain of the expectations he has on him, and the mental strain of the doubters and people who dislike him has always affected him. In a time where your closest rival is a man who (as much as I hate to admit it), is physically more gifted in the races Wout cherishes most, I can see him coming to a place where he doesn't think it's worth it anymore. I believe for sure, that thought will cross his mind.

My hope is that this adversity forges a Wout who will come back and triumph. I would not respect him any less if it doesn't.

I hope you’re wrong, but I remember when my favorite rider at the time, Dumoulin, unexpectedly retired due to frustration, burnout, and fatigue.

I suspect he will come back refocused like mad. Angry comeback destruction

I hope you’re right.

 

[AmRacer]

I suspect he will come back refocused like mad. Angry comeback destruction

Cyclocross

 

[Ripper]

I hope you’re wrong, but I remember when my favorite rider at the time, Dumoulin, unexpectedly retired due to frustration, burnout, and fatigue.

I hope you’re right.

I hope so too!! Honestly, no respect lost for the man either way, but he seems like he is more likely going to choose to go out on his terms if that is at all possible. I think he likely has a pretty solid support system and this will allow 1) a chance for total recovery from two crashes in less than a week, and 2) a complete reset.

Most importantly, let's hope he has a complete recovery first and foremost.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's probably possible for him to start the Giro. The question is whether it makes sense. I don't think so when you think about his other season goals.
I remember Jurgen Van den Broeck crashed hard out of the TDF in 2011, broke multiple ribs, his shoulder and had a punctured lung. He was in the best form of his life that summer. He started the Vuelta which was roughly 5-6 weeks after his crash, about the same time Van Aert would have in case he wants to start the Giro. Maybe it would be good enough to win some stages vs Giro competition, i don't know. But in case of JVdB, it was clear he did not reach the level in the Vuelta that he had at the Tour.

He's probably better off going to the TDF, take it a little easier than other years, and focus on WCC and OG.

Edit: this post was written before the news of a broken sternum. I have no idea how much more complicated that makes his recovery.