Wout van Aert has insisted that regardless of taking the Belgian Nationwide time trial title earlier this week he won’t be the primary favorite for Sunday’s highway race.
Van Aert claimed the Belgian TT title for a 3rd time in his profession on Thursday, and was topped Belgian highway champion in 2021.
Nonetheless, whereas recognising he’s in good kind, the 28-year-old has described himself and his teammates as outsiders for the coveted highway title, given Jumbo-Visma’s relative lack of riders within the race in comparison with different high squads.
Talking earlier this week, Van Aert was notably chary about giving reporters any hints about any ways he would possibly use in Sunday’s 230 kilometre race in Izegem, west Flanders, saying – with a smile: “It will be silly of me to do this.”
Van Aert defined to Belgian media that his enchancment in kind “hasn’t simply occurred in a single day. After the Tour de Suisse, I may relaxation up a bit and that’s precisely what I didn’t get after the lengthy spell at altitude earlier than I went to Suisse. I wasn’t recent sufficient.”
Nonetheless, he argued that “[Jasper] Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and [Tim] Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) are extra favourites than me as a result of they’ve extra teammates.”
“There’s solely 4 of us for Jumbo-Visma. 4 good riders, however I take into account us as outsiders.”
Mathieu Heijboer, head of Jumbo-Visma efficiency, nonetheless was adamant that Van Aert “has taken an enormous step ahead. In Suisse, he was typically on the restrict of his power as a result of he hadn’t recovered from his altitude coaching at that time.”
By Thursday’s TT, although, that had clearly modified, and in Sunday’s highway race, Van Aert will definitely do his utmost to remain forward of the sport once more.
