Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[Red Rick]

People thought it was a joke post.

In my experience, joke posts come true pretty damn often.

I'm gonna joke about winning the ITT by over a minute now.

 

[sir fly]

Curse of being the strongest.

In my experience, joke posts come true pretty damn often.

I'm gonna joke about winning the ITT by over a minute now.

In every joke - half of the joke, as we say here.
... or is it the truth?

 

[Fuente De]

incredible race by an incredible rider. Gold in Time Trial I hope!

 

[Eeslliw]

I think it is safe to say, he will got silver in TT . (2x 2nd WC, 2x 2nd OG?)

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I think it is safe to say, he will got silver in TT . (2x 2nd WC, 2x 2nd OG?)

2nd WCC CX as well, as GC in Tirreno.
And most importantly, 2nd in Brabantse Pijl.

 

[tobydawq]

2nd WCC CX as well, as GC in Tirreno.
And most importantly, 2nd in Brabantse Pijl.

And De Ronde.

 

[SafeBet]

Hands down the favorite for Wednesday. A mad ride today. Loved every minute of his last 40 km. Chapeau champion.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

2nd WCC CX as well, as GC in Tirreno.
And most importantly, 2nd in Brabantse Pijl.

That was already 2 editions ago though.

 

[KZD]

Hands down the favorite for Wednesday. A mad ride today. Loved every minute of his last 40 km. Chapeau champion.

I can only see Dennis and Ganna beating him on the TT (if they are on a good day) unless Evenepoel was doing a massive bluff today.

 

[Pantani_lives]

I think it is safe to say, he will got silver in TT . (2x 2nd WC, 2x 2nd OG?)

He's pretty constant at world level championships. He also got silver in cyclocross behind MvdP. That makes it four silver medals in a row.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

2021:
37 race days
8 wins
16 podium finishes
22 top 10 finishes

 

[Bonimenier]

Trying to collect photo finishes with every rider in the peloton.

 

[Red Rick]

Trying to collect photo finishes with every rider in the peloton.

I saw the overhead shot of the sprint and it looks like Pogacar was past him until the bike throw.

 

[SHAD0W93]

2021:
37 race days
8 wins
16 podium finishes
22 top 10 finishes

Twice he finished outside the top 10, all the other times it was at the Tour.

 

[Mick Dundee]

I saw the overhead shot of the sprint and it looks like Pogacar was past him until the bike throw.

The IOC have been asked to look into the actual finish line position

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I can only see Dennis and Ganna beating him on the TT (if they are on a good day)

I think so, too. The rest is racing for 4th place IMO

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I think so, too. The rest is racing for 4th place IMO

I can't see Ganna beating him on this course on his current form. Dennis, Roglic, Evenepoel and Dumoulin are unknowns. Today's efforts of the latter three don't seem convincing, but a TT, especially a hilly one, is something else. If Dennis and Evenepoel have a good day, i think they are the only ones capable of beating Van Aert here.

 

[Ripper]

Trying to collect photo finishes with every rider in the peloton.

Especially the tiny ones

 

[woodburn]

He's getting into Cancellara territory where in fields are going to mark him out and expect him to do the work when other groups go.

 

[SafeBet]

He's getting into Cancellara territory where in fields are going to mark him out and expect him to do the work when other groups go.

I think he's already there.

 

[Ripper]

I think he's already there.

Yes, he is definitely already there. Also nice to see that he doesn't hesitate to close down certain attacks rather than just looking around and asking/whining at other people to work.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I can't see Ganna beating him on this course on his current form. Dennis, Roglic, Evenepoel and Dumoulin are unknowns. Today's efforts of the latter three don't seem convincing, but a TT, especially a hilly one, is something else. If Dennis and Evenepoel have a good day, i think they are the only ones capable of beating Van Aert here.

You could be right about Ganna. If he's too heavy and/or can't perform close to his best in hot and humid weather it's over for him. I won't rule him out on his recent form alone. They said his form was bad before the Giro, too. It was ...until it wasn't.

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

In the Italian national champs Ganna was only fourth and I think the parcour wasn't too different from the Olympics if I recall correctly... granted, the stakes are higher here and his shape might be much better. But I'm also liking VA more for the win.

 

[Ripper]

Wow, just wow. He has the responsibility and expectations on his shoulders and no one really collaborates with him. But he still chases down so many moves, and owns the rest with a sprint from the front. Amazing mental toughness there, and amazing legs as well!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

You could be right about Ganna. If he's too heavy and/or can't perform close to his best in hot and humid weather it's over for him. I won't rule him out on his recent form alone. They said his form was bad before the Giro, too. It was ...until it wasn't.

His form wasn't bad in the Giro, and yet he "should" have lost the final/main (long) ITT, but Cavagna decided to go off-road instead. As a result, Ganna won the main ITT with less than 15 seconds on the second, third and fourth rider! And that ITT was as flat as a pancake. In fact, the gap to the fourth rider, was smaller in the main/long ITT (30k) than it was in the prologue (8k). Longer doesn't suit Ganna more, nor do 15k of climbing.