Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[Berniece]

His career is going in a very dangerous direction. I'm the only one that think he is downgrading year after year? He seems a shadow of his former self. This guy will never win a monument again if he continues to show this shape in races.

We've seen many riders coming back from a hard crash and not performing in that same season. I don't make conclusions until I see him next spring.

 

[ppanther92]

We've seen many riders coming back from a hard crash and not performing in that same season. I don't make conclusions until I see him next spring.

Yes, agree. But the point that his career only went down the past two seasons, also holds. So for sure some pressure on him next year.

 

[Red Rick]

So much overreaction.

Mostly what happened is lost his edge in ITTs - which can likely be put down at least partially to Visma no longer having the best ITT setup, and no longer winning a lot of bunch sprints, which decreases his total volume of wins by a lot.

I still think he'll win a stage or two - but all the talk about winning much more gets way ahead of itself instantly

 

[stonerider]

Yes, agree. But the point that his career only went down the past two seasons, also holds. So for sure some pressure on him next year.

Everyone ages differently but I would say he is past his physical peak. He probably had his physical peak at age 27-28 and now he is 30. It happens and it is called life. He is still a great racer...just not quite as strong as he was a couple years ago.

 

[veganrob]

I'm not the biggest fan of Wout but appreciate his talents. I think he wasted the best years of his career riding for Visma with little to show but accolades. Big deal. pfft

 

[Peyroteo94]

I'm not the biggest fan of Wout but appreciate his talents. I think he wasted the best years of his career riding for Visma with little to show but accolades. Big deal. pfft

This. How can a rider like him be a domestique? Such a waste of his talent. He should be in Soudal, targetting classics and riding the Tour with a free role. But the most important thing is how he lost that spark, he is no longer a fierceful competitor. That desire is gone

 

[Berniece]

This. How can a rider like him be a domestique? Such a waste of his talent. He should be in Soudal, targetting classics and riding the Tour with a free role. But the most important thing is how he lost that spark, he is no longer a fierceful competitor. That desire is gone

He became a father

 

[veganrob]

This. How can a rider like him be a domestique? Such a waste of his talent. He should be in Soudal, targetting classics and riding the Tour with a free role. But the most important thing is how he lost that spark, he is no longer a fierceful competitor. That desire is gone

This exactly.

 

[Valv.Piti]

This. How can a rider like him be a domestique? Such a waste of his talent. He should be in Soudal, targetting classics and riding the Tour with a free role. But the most important thing is how he lost that spark, he is no longer a fierceful competitor. That desire is gone

A free role? No, the whole team should be built around him. From 2019, he could have won the green jersey easily each year Sagan-style and won more stagse on average than he did. Actually a lot more than Sagan did tbf looking at his average when working a lot already.

But thats Wout own choice, just like its Ayuso's choice to sign a 5 year extention or whatever with UAE.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Finally, this is the old WVA. Sprint competition is not great but he was powerful.

 

[SHAD0W93]

GC WVA to save the year for Visma.

 

[Red Rick]

A free role? No, the whole team should be built around him. From 2019, he could have won the green jersey easily each year Sagan-style and won more stagse on average than he did. Actually a lot more than Sagan did tbf looking at his average when working a lot already.

But thats Wout own choice, just like its Ayuso's choice to sign a 5 year extention or whatever with UAE.

Dude's won 0 in 2 of the last TdFs being basically allowed to do whatever he wants

 

[TrekCyclist]

I think he can still be a great rider. He had some bad luck with mechanicals / bad crashes the last years. But yeah, gone is gone. Nevertheless, he should still be able to win Roubaix , RVV or SanRemo.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think he can still be a great rider. He had some bad luck with mechanicals / bad crashes the last years. But yeah, gone is gone. Nevertheless, he should still be able to win Roubaix , RVV or SanRemo.

He IS a great rider, his palmarés just still dont really reflect just how good he has been. 2022 was spring season was it, but he got covid, and 2023 PR was at least a 50/50 in his favour against MVDP.

 

[Wvv]

Vuelta stage win! Happy for Wout. I believe he can still grow into his stellar form coming season, if the bad luck finally stops.

 

[Red Rick]

Winning a few Vuelta stages is like Roglic winning the Dauphine to me. Not the big fish you aim all season for but absolutely nice to grab

 

[KZD]

I think he can still be a great rider. He had some bad luck with mechanicals / bad crashes the last years. But yeah, gone is gone. Nevertheless, he should still be able to win Roubaix , RVV or SanRemo.

Well he has already won Sanremo back in 2020 and although he can win it again, he skip it this year, so it doesn't seem to be a priority for him anymore.

I still think he has everything to win Roubaix as he is very difficult to drop on flat cobbles and has a strong sprint but he has been suffering a lot of bad luck and Van der Poel stepped up his game this year.

As for De Ronde, I honestly would be a bit surprised if he manage to beat Van der Poel or Pogacar in that race. Last year, he was just dropped like a stone as he was in 2021. Remco could also become another rival for Van Aert there as he is planning to ride it next year.

Even though, I am not a fan, I am happy that he managed to win the stage today after so many near misses.

 

[jmdirt]

Wout with the win in Rojo!

I see what you mean about him being no good!

 

[red_flanders]

Winning a few Vuelta stages is like Roglic winning the Dauphine to me. Not the big fish you aim all season for but absolutely nice to grab

For sure, but also a big deal for him today after a tough season with injuries, and a long victory drought. Glad to see him get one!

 

[awavey]

Wout with the win in Rojo!

I see what you mean about him being no good!

Red something something gives you win(g)s ?

 

[awavey]

Winning a few Vuelta stages is like Roglic winning the Dauphine to me. Not the big fish you aim all season for but absolutely nice to grab

hopefully he wont have to wait more than a year to get the prize money for it either and its not like theyre even paying it all at once, theyre suggesting some kind of student loan style repayment plan over 5 years. (ToB this is btw)

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Great to see the big guy get a W!

 

[Oldermanish]

So much overreaction.

Mostly what happened is lost his edge in ITTs - which can likely be put down at least partially to Visma no longer having the best ITT setup, and no longer winning a lot of bunch sprints, which decreases his total volume of wins by a lot.

I still think he'll win a stage or two - but all the talk about winning much more gets way ahead of itself instantly

He intimated today that he may contest the overall. That couldn't possibly complicate things on Visma, now. Could it?
He and Remco could both fall into very successful recovery years, so far. Expecting him to knock down monuments will take until next season if he and the team are prepared to commit. Competition for them both is not sleeping, either.

 

[Nick2413]

Finally came through, much needed confidence booster for him.

 

[Sciatic]

He intimated today that he may contest the overall. That couldn't possibly complicate things on Visma, now. Could it?
He and Remco could both fall into very successful recovery years, so far. Expecting him to knock down monuments will take until next season if he and the team are prepared to commit. Competition for them both is not sleeping, either.

He also said, post-ride, that “tomorrow is for the GC guys.” Which he didn’t imply he my be one of.