Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[GenericBoonenFan]

Please note the dots

Sprint goes to Mathieu

No, it *** doesn't...
Give me one solid point why sprint should go to Mathieu. Wout literally won bunch sprints in the most competitive sprint race in the world.
And there's no point in bringing up MVDP beating him in a sprint in a 250km one-day-race because that's not the same...

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

No, it *** doesn't...
Give me one solid point why sprint should go to Mathieu. Wout literally won bunch sprints in the most competitive sprint race in the world.
And there's no point in bringing up MVDP beating him in a sprint in a 250km one-day-race because that's not the same...

To be fair, and even as a Wout fan I say this, when he sits on Mathieu's wheel, and then lets Matnieu kick first...his results aren't good. Nor are anyone elses.

 

[repre]

No, it *** doesn't...
Give me one solid point why sprint should go to Mathieu. Wout literally won bunch sprints in the most competitive sprint race in the world.
And there's no point in bringing up MVDP beating him in a sprint in a 250km one-day-race because that's not the same...

He is not the same Wout, who was winning this sprints. Now it's less explosive scary to *** dude, who is unofficially retired.

He is losing position prior to decisive parts of the race cause he is scary to fail or fall again.

I'm his big fan, but he needs to retire.

 

[saunaking]

I'm his big fan, but he needs to retire.

i have seen a lot of stupid comments on here but this takes the cake.

 

[dazaau]

No, it *** doesn't...
Give me one solid point why sprint should go to Mathieu. Wout literally won bunch sprints in the most competitive sprint race in the world.
And there's no point in bringing up MVDP beating him in a sprint in a 250km one-day-race because that's not the same...

You are right, but here is the counter point.

Wout is a better sprinter than MVDP. Except in cases where he is actually sprinting against MVDP.

 

[repre]

i have seen a lot of stupid comments on here but this takes the cake.

If u get excited with 15th places, i don't mind. For me as a fan it's extremely frustrating and he is just forcing people to make fun of him and forget how great he was at his peak.

Don't sagan the memory of his skills, just retire if he hasn't the fire anymore.

 

[Red Rick]

If u get excited with 15th places, i don't mind. For me as a fan it's extremely frustrating and he is just forcing people to make fun of him and forget how great he was at his peak.

Don't sagan the memory of his skills, just retire if he hasn't the fire anymore.

What this does is it relegates a rider to having to satisfy your needs, and it takes away all his agency.

Quitting wihle on top is overrated, nearly every athlete has a moment they're legit washed, won't win the biggest *** anymore, and that's when you should just enjoy whatever wins they take.

 

[repre]

What this does is it relegates a rider to having to satisfy your needs, and it takes away all his agency.

Quitting wihle on top is overrated, nearly every athlete has a moment they're legit washed, won't win the biggest *** anymore, and that's when you should just enjoy whatever wins they take.

Agree with quitting on top. But Wout isn't on top anymore. If he doesn't get results this year this is TDE Sagan territory and it was embarrassing to see.

If he wins, ok, then i'll be happy that i made dumb statement. But i doubt it.

Top level career is over when rider is scary to race, and i think mentally Wout is there. Physically maybe he is still great, but it doesn't matter.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Well if they really were silly enough to give him that lifetime contract gimmick he should Froome it up until he's 65.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

What this does is it relegates a rider to having to satisfy your needs, and it takes away all his agency.

Quitting wihle on top is overrated, nearly every athlete has a moment they're legit washed, won't win the biggest *** anymore, and that's when you should just enjoy whatever wins they take.

Honestly, it doesn‘t even make sense to engage with the take that WvA should retire if he hasn‘t got it anymore, because Wout literally won three stages at the Vuelta last fall, then injured his knee and has done nine race days since. Maybe he gets over his (somewhat conjured up) mental blockade next week when he should have apparently retired because he didn‘t win a stage at Algarve and didn‘t look great at E3 two days after coming back from altitude. By that standard, basically half the Peloton should have retired by now, because for them, their biggest win is past them.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

To be fair he never really had a legitimate win in E3. In 2022 he was gifted by laporte and in 2023 he cheated with the appliciation of an illegal chain lube prior to the sprint. He should be doing ghent whebelgem as it is a race that suits him

 

[Salvarani]

MvdP Remco Pogi Wout

Flatt TT Remco
Cobbles Mathieu
RVV Mathieu Pogi
Ardennes Pogi
Stage races Pogi
GT Pogi
MSR Mathieu
MTF Pogi
Mountains Pogi
Very hilly TT Pogi
Cross Mathieu
.
.
.

This list was very accurate. Thank you for taking time to put it together.

 

[ChasingPotatoes]

MvdP Remco Pogi Wout

Flatt TT Remco
Cobbles Mathieu
RVV Mathieu Pogi
Ardennes Pogi
Stage races Pogi
GT Pogi
MSR Mathieu
MTF Pogi
Mountains Pogi
Very hilly TT Pogi
Cross Mathieu
.
.
.

you forgot:
"Jack of all trades, master of none" Wout
"TdF bunch sprinter winning TT and mountain stages" Wout
"shepherding incomplete TdF winners on cobbles and echelon stages" Wout
"biggest setback by crashes" Remco (Wout a good competitor though, recently)
"biggest gentleman not claiming first on podium" Wout

 

[Salvarani]

Somebody in the middle of the peloton is the most complete rider there is.

Yeah, like Ethan Hayter lol

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yeah, like Ethan Hayter lol

He's at the back.

 

[Salvarani]

He's at the back.

TMI

 

[Mayomaniac]

Would be hillarious if he played possum and has a monster peak for the RVV and Paris-Roubaix.

 

[assisting]

Would be hillarious if he played possum and has a monster peak for the RVV and Paris-Roubaix.

Hilarious only in light of this forum discussion. Although not a fan, I certainly wish him the best of luck anyhow.

I don't see him at the top for RVV, but maybe in Roubaix it finally comes together for him. I wouldn't bet on it, Alpecin seems again poised to take the win, but I wouldn't rule it out either. A puncture at the wrong time can mean game over for anyone. Hopefully nobody meets disaster and the strongest man/team wins.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Hilarious only in light of this forum discussion. Although not a fan, I certainly wish him the best of luck anyhow.

I don't see him at the top for RVV, but maybe in Roubaix it finally comes together for him. I wouldn't bet on it, Alpecin seems again poised to take the win, but I wouldn't rule it out either. A puncture at the wrong time can mean game over for anyone. Hopefully nobody meets disaster and the strongest man/team wins.

Yes, that's what I was referring to.

 

[Brullnux]

Agree, he looked quite good in some of the later crosses. I don't give him much of a chance against Pog and MVDP in RVV but I won't write him off just yet in PR. In 2023 he had that late puncture, otherwise he looked damn good that year. What I might fear is that MVDP is stronger now than then and that WVA haven't had the same progression.

Yeah though he was in exceptional form at the Vuelta pre-crash. I don't feel comfortable saying he's in a Sagan arc given how good he was about seven/eight months ago. It might well be that though he looked pretty good at the end of the cross season, he was still a bit shy of his best and he hasn't been able to recover it yet. Who knows.

 

[repre]

Would be hillarious if he played possum and has a monster peak for the RVV and Paris-Roubaix.

i would celebrate like madman, but again, this is just wishfull thinking at this stage of his career

 

[stekelegel]

Someone in the middle of the peloton is the most complete rider there is.

Indeed you missed my point, ofc Pogacar and MVDP are the better riders. Van aert is the most versatile but he might end up with the resume of a bits and pieces player. I find it really hard to say if he really has a weakness on monuments or that he just has been unlucky and mismanaged. Look at his resume with wins in E3, Wevelgem, omloop, you can’t say he is unsuited? He’s won in MSR and gold race and added lots of podiums in 250 km races. Guess will never really know..

 

[Boes]

Tom Boonen had his best year in 2012 when he was 32.

I'm not writing WVA off just yet, however it woun't be for this year. And even in future years he'll never be topfavourite for a race again.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Tom Boonen had his best year in 2012 when he was 32.

I'm not writing WVA off just yet, however it woun't be for this year. And even in future years he'll never be topfavourite for a race again.

Don't forget Cancellara was injured in 2012. Best Boonen is without a doubt 2005/2006 Boonen.
In 2012, he was almost dropped by Pozzatto. He wouldn't have a chance against peak Cancellara.

 

[Netserk]

Don't forget Cancellara was injured in 2012. Best Boonen is without a doubt 2005/2006 Boonen.
In 2012, he was almost dropped by Pozzatto. He wouldn't have a chance against peak Cancellara.

He really showed that in E3, didn't he?