Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

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Bolder

Jun 25, 2015
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Red Rick said:
I doubt it?

The remarkable thing about WvA is that he shouldn't be top 20 in a GT in the first place. But top 20 vs winning a Grand Tour is still a different universe of climbing.
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Normally, I'd agree 100% ... but he put in a lot of work in the Tour that as a protected GC rider he wouldn't have to do. On the right course with the right support, yeah, I actually think he could be a real contender. He's not going to give anything away in an ITT, and if there's a northern cobbled stage he could take 4-5 minutes on a light climber if the weather's bad (or even if it's not).

Alaphilippe, because of his size, isn't a perfect analogue. But he still finished fifth -- I don't see Wout as a worse GC contender.
 
Red Rick

Red Rick

Feb 20, 2012
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Bolder said:
Normally, I'd agree 100% ... but he put in a lot of work in the Tour that as a protected GC rider he wouldn't have to do. On the right course with the right support, yeah, I actually think he could be a real contender. He's not going to give anything away in an ITT, and if there's a northern cobbled stage he could take 4-5 minutes on a light climber if the weather's bad (or even if it's not).

Alaphilippe, because of his size, isn't a perfect analogue. But he still finished fifth -- I don't see Wout as a worse GC contender.
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I think it doesn't hurt much to try, and I suspect they'll test it in Tirreno just for future reference. That said I expect Jumbo knows Van Aerts numbers and that he probably comes up short compared to Roglic etc.
 
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Bolder

Jun 25, 2015
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Red Rick said:
I think it doesn't hurt much to try, and I suspect they'll test it in Tirreno just for future reference. That said I expect Jumbo knows Van Aerts numbers and that he probably comes up short compared to Roglic etc.
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Yeah, he probably doesn't have the numbers of a Roglic or purer climber. But he can push a lot of watts for an hour or so...that might be enough to get him over a few cols, so long as it wasn't a ridiculous climb like Mortirolo.

T-A could be a race he could win. The 2020 parcours wasn't that bad for a non-pure climber.
 
Flamin

Flamin

Jan 4, 2011
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tobydawq said:
True, but if he hadn't spent so much time as a domestique last year he could prpbably have been number 10 in the race, in before Caruso, G Martin and Valverde, which is batshit crazy to think about.
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I believe he would have finished closer to 5th than 10th if he had had total freedom.
 
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Logic-is-your-friend

Logic-is-your-friend

Jun 7, 2011
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Red Rick said:
I think it doesn't hurt much to try, and I suspect they'll test it in Tirreno just for future reference. That said I expect Jumbo knows Van Aerts numbers and that he probably comes up short compared to Roglic etc.
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The fact that there was never any talk about riding for GC, and suddenly now he's going to try here and there, shows there might be enough to cause some doubt. Keep in mind that he's a big guy, who "if" he wants to go for GC, can shed quite some kg's. In total watts, i think van Aert will put out bigger numbers than Dumoulin, who won the Giro weighing 71kgs. If van Aert can drop his weight -like an actual GC rider- i wouldn't be so sure about your comparison with Roglic. But like i said months ago, does he want to? I doubt it. It would require a complete shift, and it would likely mean giving up CX and dropping cobbled classics ambitions. He could probably turn to Ardennes instead though.
 
Red Rick

Red Rick

Feb 20, 2012
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Logic-is-your-friend said:
The fact that there was never any talk about riding for GC, and suddenly now he's going to try here and there, shows there might be enough to cause some doubt. Keep in mind that he's a big guy, who "if" he wants to go for GC, can shed quite some kg's. In total watts, i think van Aert will put out bigger numbers than Dumoulin, who won the Giro weighing 71kgs. If van Aert can drop his weight -like an actual GC rider- i wouldn't be so sure about your comparison with Roglic. But like i said months ago, does he want to? I doubt it. It would require a complete shift, and it would likely mean giving up CX and dropping cobbled classics ambitions. He could probably turn to Ardennes instead though.
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I'm comparing him to Roglic cause he's his team leader. The difference between doing a turn at the front or being there with 20 dudes left to riding for the win is relatively huge still.
 
LesDiablesRouges

LesDiablesRouges

Jul 12, 2012
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Earns1985 said:
www.cyclingnews.com

Wout van Aert 2kg and 5 weeks away from full fitness

Belgian looking to lose cyclo-cross muscle during Tenerife altitude camp
www.cyclingnews.com www.cyclingnews.com

Still five weeks away from full fitness. So for Strade he will not be one of the favourites anymore, I think.
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I wouldn't count him out. Strade is a such grueling race. I think a few extra pounds may not be a big disadvantage especially if the weather is poor.
 
Boes

Boes

Oct 31, 2018
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Earns1985 said:
www.cyclingnews.com

Wout van Aert 2kg and 5 weeks away from full fitness

Belgian looking to lose cyclo-cross muscle during Tenerife altitude camp
www.cyclingnews.com www.cyclingnews.com

Still five weeks away from full fitness. So for Strade he will not be one of the favourites anymore, I think.
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That doesn't seem like something his personal trainer would throw out there in the media without a bit of a strategy behind it.
Time will tell, but it wouldn't suprise me if he's 100% fit and ready for Strade.
 
Lequack

Lequack

Jul 10, 2014
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Wout van Aert smashes records in the Canaries
"If there is one that has attracted the attention of cyclists fans of numbers (but also of his opponents on the road) it is the Belgian Wout van Aert. The Jumbo-Visma rider's Strava has recorded insane numbers over the past three weeks. During his internship in the Canaries, the KOMs (King of Mountain) and the records fell one after the other. "

Source (French):
todaycycling.com

Le Belge Wout van Aert pulvérise les records sur Strava

A l'occasion de ses trois semaines passées en stage aux Canaries, le Belge Wout van Aert a fait le buzz sur Strava.
todaycycling.com todaycycling.com

strava-wout-van-aert.jpg
 
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SafeBet

SafeBet

Sep 2, 2011
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Bonimenier said:
Some interesting stats about van Aert riding in Italy

https://twitter.com/x/status/1370448300810383368

"Wout van Aert rode his 12th UCI-race in Italy as a pro today. That resulted in the following figures: 3-3-6-1-3-1-2-2-4-1-3-2. That is converted 25% victories, 83% top three and 100% top six."

Long story short: He should ride the Giro.
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I think he should apply for Italian citizenship.
 
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johnymax

johnymax

May 8, 2014
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Bonimenier said:
Some interesting stats about van Aert riding in Italy

https://twitter.com/x/status/1370448300810383368

"Wout van Aert rode his 12th UCI-race in Italy as a pro today. That resulted in the following figures: 3-3-6-1-3-1-2-2-4-1-3-2. That is converted 25% victories, 83% top three and 100% top six."

Long story short: He should ride the Giro.
Click to expand...
Tomorrow will be his biggest challenge yet. If he keeps his 100% top six going, he has a good chance of improving on his number of victories. And I'm not talking about adding another stage win.
 
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Bonimenier

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Apr 1, 2019
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Bonimenier said:
Some interesting stats about van Aert riding in Italy

https://twitter.com/x/status/1370448300810383368

"Wout van Aert rode his 12th UCI-race in Italy as a pro today. That resulted in the following figures: 3-3-6-1-3-1-2-2-4-1-3-2. That is converted 25% victories, 83% top three and 100% top six."

Long story short: He should ride the Giro.
Click to expand...
Pretty pathetic performance today. Only 9th.
 
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Netserk

Netserk

Apr 30, 2011
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Alien level. Can he also do this in the Tour (with its mostly easy mountain stages this year)?
 
B

Bonimenier

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Netserk said:
Alien level. Can he also do this in the Tour (with its mostly easy mountain stages this year)?
Click to expand...
I doubt it'll be a goal, but in theory it's the perfect course for him if he wanted to try it. However it's pretty to hard to imagine him not riding in the yellow jersey at some point in the race.
 
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W

Winnen

Jul 1, 2012
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I sincerely hope that Wout will be allowed to go for the GC in a GT in the upcoming years. He is able to win time in the time trials, he is able to limit his losses on mountain finishes. But I think (hope) that those 'hilly-in-between' stages will be raced as a one day classic. Because Wout can gain time on those. And than I haven't even mentioned his chances in a sprint. But that might be too much when your going for a GC.

On a 'Wiggens' type course he should be given a chance.
 
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W

Winnen

Jul 1, 2012
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Netserk said:
Gaining time in hilly stages like Indurain in Liège?
Click to expand...

I had to google this. I am a cycling enthusiast since 1990 but somehow this completely disappeared from my memory. But I think there is a possibility for him there. Like Nibali in the 'Paris-Roubaix like' stage that Lars Boom won.
 
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KZD

KZD

Feb 21, 2019
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I think that if he has some freedom he can even win the green jersey in the Tour without fully commiting to that goal.
 
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