Monuments, pink, Tour success, … Wout van Aert is busy in 2025: “I’ve already spent enough time in my couch”

2024 was not favorable to Wout van Aert, in 2025 he wants to settle many of those outstanding bills. “I was close too often in the Ronde and Roubaix not to put those races first,” he says at the Visma-Lease a Bike media day. Without any further bad luck, he also wants to finally discover the Giro. “The course of those first rides makes me happy.”

Win 10 races in 2025 or just 1, either the Tour of Flanders or Roubaix? Wout van Aert has to think about it for a while, but then resolutely chooses the latter. “For 2025 anyway.”

It is clear that the dream of the Ronde and Roubaix is ​​still very much alive for Van Aert. A dream that never became reality in recent years – partly due to bad luck.

“I’ve been close many times, which is why I put them at number 1 on my list.”

“It was my own request to try the same approach from last year again, which was a logical choice at the time.”

That means: no Ghent-Wevelgem or Amstel Gold Race, but Dwars door Vlaanderen, the race where he saw his spring end after a serious crash. That also cost him his debut in the Giro.

“I’m looking forward to discovering that race this year. It seems like a nice round to do.”

“We are going there with a team with a lot of ambition (including Simon Yates and Olav Kooij). I will also have a certain freedom.”

The Giro 2025 route was presented yesterday and Van Aert immediately had a positive outlook when he saw the start in Albania. “It made me happy. I’ve never been there before, but it doesn’t seem to be flat. It’s going to be a challenging start. If I’m in shape, it’s something I should like.”

I’ve never been to Albania, but it doesn’t seem flat to me. It’s a challenging start to the Giro, that should suit me.

Wout van Aert dreams of pink

After the Giro, Van Aert disappears from the stage for a while to prepare for the Tour de France at a great height.

“To help Jonas (Vingegaard), but also to strive for his own stage success.”

“I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the Tour course. I thought there would be a lot of flat stages with the start in the north, but I see a lot of opportunities for punchers and attackers.”

“I see opportunities to achieve stage success. I have already proven that that does not stand in the way of helping the team.”

If we look all the way to the end of the season, a cycling World Cup will also appear in Rwanda. Van Aert also ticked that.

“I have the feeling that Serge (Pauwels, the national coach) has confidence in me, but we will wait for the Tour to make a plan.”

“A first World Cup in Africa is enough to make me sparkle. That’s why I want to be there. But I also looked at the course and it is very tough. It is certainly not my best chance for a world title.”

A very tough World Cup, just like Van Aert’s own programme. “It will indeed be a busy year. But I have already spent enough time in my seat in 2024.”