Sure, and Cavendish was the best rider of 2009.
If you'd put Van Aert over a rider who's won 3 Grand Tours, a monument, and Olympic gold, a 2nd place in the Tour de France in addition to more GT stage wins and more wins overall in the same period then I'm not questioning if I am biased, and I'm also not really thinking I'm blinded by hatred.
If you think monuments are the be-all-end-all, then of course not. I dont. Wout is a complete specimen, a peak Sagan on steroids. He should have won some of the cobbled monuments, but haven't yet (remember Covid, crashes etc. all play a part). He was as strong in the spring as he is now and was the red hot favourite going in, but caught Covid. I think you know all of it, dont you?
Wout has proved, without contest, more than VDP has, even though Mathieu has 2 Flanders. Wout is more well rounded and has a Mathieu-esque peak shape as well through ALL terrain. I cannot understand how people can sit there with a straight face, watching all these races as we do, and come to the conclusion he's not even in the top-2.
Also, please, please, please do not compare Cavendish with Wout... they're not even in the same breath man. Like.... man.