Teams & Riders Official Wout Van Aert thread

[Lequack]

I guess he can become a GC rider now.

 

[Peyroteo94]

He didn't lost just his sprint. He lost everything a little bit.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

The Dutch Visma coaches making Wout's training schedule so that he'll be in peak form for Amstel:

 

[Filippo_3467]

Is he going for GC at the Giro with those 2 easy weeks he could get the maglia rose. Also Kooij is there for the sprints so no points jersey for him anyway.

 

[Panda Claws]

I'd say that's more than a 'lost sprint edge'. That's starting to look injury related loss of sprint ability.

Given that he was competitive with Groves in the Vuelta I'd agree. We'll have to see if it's permanent or not.
Only person he beat now was Florian Vermeersch.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Can't wait for people to call this guy washed again after arguably being the fourth best rider in the entire classics campaign coming back from a terrible knee injury in last year's Vuelta.
And after being the second best man in today's race behind the Olympic champion.

 

[Netserk]

Can't wait for people to call this guy washed again after arguably being the fourth best rider in the entire classics campaign coming back from a terrible knee injury in last year's Vuelta.
And after being the second best man in today's race behind the Olympic champion.

Those who would deem him washed likely has no problem with acknowledging that it is injury-related. That doesn't make him non-washed, if it's permanent.

 

[Rackham]

Can't wait for people to call this guy washed again after arguably being the fourth best rider in the entire classics campaign coming back from a terrible knee injury in last year's Vuelta.
And after being the second best man in today's race behind the Olympic champion.

[[deleted]]

It is what it is, i.e. in isolation no one would label WvA 'washed' after today. But in context of his past couple of years - including his Vuelta injury and then his altitude preparation - it would appear things are not panning out as Visma had hoped. And that's not me saying that, i.e. Visma themselves said so after Roubaix.

 

[Didinho]

He said he didn’t train different. The sprint is just not there in races. He was empty in the end, can happen if you’re with Remco in front. Still better than the rest today. He won’t be too disappointed with how he felt the last lap.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Can't even outsprint the chubster nowadays.

 

[Rackham]

Without a sprint, it'll be harder to collect stages in the Giro.

 

[jmdirt]

WvA has to be feeling a bit mentally hammered, but his form is good so he just needs to keep working and a top step will come his way.

 

[Didinho]

Without a sprint, it'll be harder to collect stages in the Giro.

With his attacking mind in GT’s he will be the strongest of some breakaways. Doesn’t need a sprint for that.

 

[Tim Cahill]

He will need to outsprint Pippo Fiorelli and one of the Bais brothers, a tall task.

 

[Unchained]

Is he going for GC at the Giro with those 2 easy weeks he could get the maglia rose. Also Kooij is there for the sprints so no points jersey for him anyway.

Today in last @30k Wout's upper body and head were all over compared to Remco, Remco is an ultra talent, that said he is hardly a grand tour consistent climbing talent so far.. If Wout is planning on being GC anywhere today was not a good showing if Giro is his goal..climbing is ok, sprinting is better than most, but inferior to other pure sprinters..Brennan is also faster than Van Aert currently..

 

[hayneplane]

His sprint looks cooked. Still got one of the best endurance power outputs in the peloton and able to drop all but the very best frequently but now you would be nervous for him going to the line if he hasn’t dropped everyone.

Tactically Visma and Wout are going to have to approach things with a good sprint being treated as a bonus not a key weapon.

 

[Extinction]

Today in last @30k Wout's upper body and head were all over compared to Remco, Remco is an ultra talent, that said he is hardly a grand tour consistent climbing talent so far.. If Wout is planning on being GC anywhere today was not a good showing if Giro is his goal..climbing is ok, sprinting is better than most, but inferior to other pure sprinters..Brennan is also faster than Van Aert currently..

The Giro big climbs plus everything else in between. Italy is 75% mountains and hills, 25% flat, thus the Giro mostly has eat and drink ( mangia e bevi) topography, which could wear big Wout down over 3 weeks.

 

[Unchained]

To me Wout is setting up for turmoil.. Giro and TDF have things shaping up for a green jersey competition looking better than ever.. Wout not in top 5 in my opinion. Still great racer but next GTs are stacked with possible fantastic sprinters..

 

[Salvarani]

To me Wout is setting up for turmoil.. Giro and TDF have things shaping up for a green jersey competition looking better than ever.. Wout not in top 5 in my opinion. Still great racer but next GTs are stacked with possible fantastic sprinters..

Giro he probably has a better chance by going in the break come week 2 & 3, if he wants to win stages.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

And being in a break, because of what has happened this season, is likely to have his break mates being okay with him there, as they aren't going to be terrified of his sprint in the end...which also means that a win from him from a break is anything but assured.

 

[ChasingPotatoes]

Wout looks very much like my stock portfolio: 3-5% in red but with high hopes it will go back to green if I’m just waiting stubbornly. It may never recover though.

 

[hayneplane]

And being in a break, because of what has happened this season, is likely to have his break mates being okay with him there, as they aren't going to be terrified of his sprint in the end...which also means that a win from him from a break is anything but assured.

But more chances of the break itself staying away to at least contest the win.

Ironically he could end up with a bigger chance of winning the KOM jersey in the Giro than the points jersey.

 

[scribers]

Hard to watch the decline of this supreme talent. His exploits at the tour seem legendary to me.

 

[rghysens]

The Dutch Visma coaches making Wout's training schedule so that he'll be in peak form for Amstel:

He´ll be in peak shape for lbl, but won´t participate.

 

[Filippo_3467]

But more chances of the break itself staying away to at least contest the win.

Ironically he could end up with a bigger chance of winning the KOM jersey in the Giro than the points jersey.

Can Kooij start the Giro after his Gent-Wevelgem crash? If so WvA won't even compete for the points jersey.

The startlist for the Giro is quite light after the big names like every year. The old Wout could easily compete for a Top10 in the GC. You have Ayuso, A. Yates, Roglic and Landa. Everyone else is so inconsistent over the last GTs that I could easily see WvA competing forthe 7-10 spot if he would target it. But I think that is and was never the goal. Probably he will go for winning a stage early on and carrying the maglia rosa for a few days. With the combination of the TT and the hard medium mountain stages this is quite optimal for him. The other best TT rider and Tarling won't be able to hang on and Roglic is -as always- not interested in taking the jersey this early.