Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[BlueRoads]

Well, if the aero gains make up for more than the loss of power to result in a net speed increase, I should say it would be pretty good.

Oof, one really has to think carefully about one's words here.
Of course I meant a position that leads to lower air resistance, but does allow the rider to only get so few watts out of his body that the net speed decreases.

 

[tobydawq]

Oof, one really has to think carefully about one's words here.
Of course I meant a position that leads to lower air resistance, but does allow the rider to only get so few watts out of his body that the net speed decreases.

Then it's not good

 

[Pantani_lives]

Surely Van Aert can make forget those five silver medals in one turn on Sunday... by finally winning a bronze.

 

[Rackham]

Surely Van Aert can make forget those five silver medals in one turn on Sunday... by finally winning a bronze.

Scenario: a solo breakaway rider wins the world title gold whilst a small group featuring WvA follows soon after to the line.

Question: does WvA sprint for silver? I'd say probably, but it would be pretty wild to have so many silver medals.

 

[Bonimenier]

Scenario: a solo breakaway rider wins the world title gold whilst a small group featuring WvA follows soon after to the line.

Question: does WvA sprint for silver? I'd say probably, but it would be pretty wild to have so many silver medals.

Stuyven leading out van Aert, but he is too strong and van Aert fails to overtake him.

 

[JosefK]

It depends a lot on which sprinters survive the Flemish circuit, but Van Aert in this form should be a very heavy favorite in a reduced sprint vs the names you've put in there. When he got beaten by Pidcock it wasn't from a reduced group and he was definitely over his best shape at that point. I think Van Aert has >50% chance to win in a reduced bunch sprint.

Now I'm not saying Evenepoel can't win, but I do think that unless he goes solo there's a lottery element in if he can bamboozle the lead group he's in, and Evenepoel should beat almost nobody he can't drop.

Yes, I think Remco ranks slightly behind Landa in sprint capability.

 

[tobydawq]

Yes, I think Remco ranks slightly behind Landa in sprint capability.

Of course he doesn't.

 

[Valanga]

I think the new Cervelos are at least on par with the Pinarellos, at least the recent Jumbo results in time trials don't hint at weak equipment. And what good is a position that's faster in theory if it doesn't allow you to push your best?
I think the course suited enormous big power-houses just fine, and Ganna is such a guy; there was no up and down, and hardly anything technical which would have brought van Aert an advantage.
So, actually, van Aert did pretty well. (And Evenepoel was very strong.)

Yeah well, I guess this is indeed his most optimal position right now. But it does kinda show there is room for improvement in that aspect compared to a true specialist like Ganna.
Maybe. Perhaps. What do I know about aero anyway

 

[BlueRoads]

Yeah well, I guess this is indeed his most optimal position right now. But it does kinda show there is room for improvement in that aspect compared to a true specialist like Ganna.
Maybe. Perhaps. What do I know about aero anyway

Maybe there's room for improvement, his own words seem to hint at that, but then, not everyone can sit effectively on a bike like Ganna, some try forever and it doesn't happen.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Maybe there's room for improvement, his own words seem to hint at that, but then, not everyone can sit effectively on a bike like Ganna, some try forever and it doesn't happen.

He closed the gap of 25s (2020) down to 5s (2021) on a TT specialist that was deemed invincible a few months ago on a course that was like it was designed for Ganna to begin with, mainly due to being fresher than last year when he came straight from the Tour. Ganna 2021 doesn't look nearly as invincible as he did in 2020. On a different course, he would have beaten him on Sunday.

 

[BlueRoads]

He closed the gap of 25s (2020) down to 5s (2021) on a TT specialist that was deemed invincible a few months ago on a course that was like it was designed for Ganna to begin with, mainly due to being fresher than last year when he came straight from the Tour. Ganna 2021 doesn't look nearly as invincible as he did in 2020. On a different course, he would have beaten him on Sunday.

And I think van Aert was super impressive and agree on another course he would have won. I don't think Ganna is unbeatable either. But the way I understood it Ganna didn't entirely focus on this event either, he might be better again in another year when he completely focuses on the street as well. Although the time was already a record? Both are insane. What I mostly wanted to remark was a general thing, that training more on your time trial bike doesn't necessarily mean your position will improve just as much.

 

[davidsonduke]

WVA rode the fastest UCI Road Time Trial ever, only to be beaten a few seconds later. Pretty amazing performance for a non-specialist.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Ganna 2021 doesn't look nearly as invincible as he did in 2020. On a different course, he would have beaten him on Sunday.

He could have beaten him on the same course, IMO. He started too fast in retrospect. Of course, Ganna had the advantage of starting last.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

And I think van Aert was super impressive and agree on another course he would have won. I don't think Ganna is unbeatable either. But the way I understood it Ganna didn't entirely focus on this event either, he might be better again in another year when he completely focuses on the street as well. Although the time was already a record? Both are insane. What I mostly wanted to remark was a general thing, that training more on your time trial bike doesn't necessarily mean your position will improve just as much.

I agree, but the gap, as it stands, is practically "nothing". Maybe Ganna didn't focus as much as he could have on this WCC, but the same can certainly be said of Van Aert. Ganna's other individual goals are all in a discipline in a TT position. Even the slightest improvement in Van Aert's pose, would put him next to Ganna, imho.

 

[tobydawq]

And I think van Aert was super impressive and agree on another course he would have won. I don't think Ganna is unbeatable either. But the way I understood it Ganna didn't entirely focus on this event either, he might be better again in another year when he completely focuses on the street as well. Although the time was already a record? Both are insane. What I mostly wanted to remark was a general thing, that training more on your time trial bike doesn't necessarily mean your position will improve just as much.

I'm calling it street racing from now on

Otherwise, agreed.

 

[BlueRoads]

I'm calling it street racing from now on

Otherwise, agreed.

Straßenradsport in German.

 

[Ripper]

I think for major championships Wout needs to decide whether he's going to do the time trial or the road race, because I think for him, any focus on the time trial will take that tiny bit away from his road racing. Just that slight edge at the pointy end of something like the world champs

 

[Rackham]

I think for major championships Wout needs to decide whether he's going to do the time trial or the road race, because I think for him, any focus on the time trial will take that tiny bit away from his road racing. Just that slight edge at the pointy end of something like the world champs

He also needs to lay off playing politics.

He started a month ago when he said outright Belgium needed one leader in the world championship & that leader should be him.

Next time, Evenepoel won't be forced into submission before the race. And people also cannot even use the Tour de France (like last year, i.e. with the WC RR merely one week later) as a reason "why" WvA faded after 200km. He's clearly just not the machine some people believed or hoped, himself included.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Hugely disappointed, not in the fact that he didn't have the legs, but because the entire tactics were tailored to him, when he wasn't even second best Belgian. He already felt when Alaphilippe attacked in Overijse, that he didn't have the legs today... but still he let Evenepoel empty himself for the next 30 or so km.

 

[F_Cance]

Worst thing is that everyone had to ride for him and even stuyven had to chase for him 2-3 times. Just admit that you are not strong enough today instead of wasting your teammates for you.

 

[Jagartrott]

Apparently, he had told Stuyven quite early he wasn't feeling very strong. I think the plan was then to have Stuyven ride away with a group, though I don't know why Remco worked so much.

At least it wasn't another silver.

 

[Red Rick]

Next time, Evenepoel won't be forced into submission before the race. And people also cannot even use the Tour de France (like last year, i.e. with the WC RR merely one week later) as a reason "why" WvA faded after 200km. He's clearly just not the machine some people believed or hoped, himself included.

It's his3rd peak this year, they're just not as long lasting as the 1st or 2nd peak in a year. And given how he was flying in GB I think he simply peaked too early for this one.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's his3rd peak this year, they're just not as long lasting as the 1st or 2nd peak in a year. And given how he was flying in GB I think he simply peaked too early for this one.

Amazing how his trainer still hasn't gotten that right. It's not the first time he misses out on his biggest seasonal goals due to bad timing and receding form.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

I reckon Stybar will finish ahead of him at P-R.

 

[Ripper]

Amazing how his trainer still hasn't gotten that right. It's not the first time he misses out on his biggest seasonal goals due to bad timing and receding form.

And this, along with trying to peak for a time trial that's about an hour and then a road race like the world championships all within a one week, is not a great mix. Too many fragmented and very different goals, and attempting a third peak, we're always going to be a challenge.

As for Belgium, the team strategy did not seem all that great today. If nothing else, there cannot be rhetoric around whether Remco was riding for himself or for the team!