In the car he suddenly made the decision: how Wout van Aert convinced himself and his team to drive the World Cup
The idea did not even play in the back of his head, until all the puzzle pieces suddenly fell into place. Wout van Aert surprised friend and foe with his participation in the Cyclocross World Cup. Gracking the rainbow against Mathieu van der Poel is not easy. Why does Van Aert venture into the challenge? The insights from his season and his framework.
“This is a first step in the structure after a difficult period.”
With 3 September 2024 in mind, Wout van Aert starts his crosswinter with modest ambitions. Because the fall in the Vuelta – and the subsequent heavy knee injury – threw a lot of soot in the works.
A normal rest period and reconstruction? Ruled out. For his return in the field, stories about a running backlog are circulating.
But it appears in Loenhout: only a collision with an inattentive spectator can love the stage. A first sign that it will still be enjoying for and the Belgian number 1.
A week later it is immediately a prize for Van Aert.
In Gullegem he tastes the sweet victory for the first time, a day later the mud monster completes the perfect weekend with a solo in Dendermonde. So the first time the question arises: and the World Cup, Wout?
Not yet discussed. Van Aert plunge his internships in Spain at the beginning of January. The road season simply enjoys the priority – to boredom repeated – also witness the lesser feeling in Benidorm.
But then a week of relative peace and a super feeling in Maasmechelen plans a seed. What our countryman did not dare to dream of in December is suddenly a possibility. Liévin, then right?
After the decisive performance, Van Aert goes home with manager Jef van den Bosch in the car. And he makes the knot: green light for the hunt for the rainbow.
| Van Aert’s crosswinter | ||
|---|---|---|
| datum | match | rash |
| 27 december | Exact Cross Loenhout | 4e |
| January 4 | Superprestige Gullegem | 1e |
| January 5 | World Cup Dendermonde | 1e |
| January 19 | World Cup Benidorm | 4e |
| January 25 | World Cup Maasmechelen | 2E |
| February 2 | WK in Lievin | … |
The perfect puzzle
The door of national coach Angelo De Clercq was wide open at that time. The 9th place, thanks to the WB victory of Michael Vanthourenhout, already wore the initials WVA in his wildest dreams.
Getting the Belgian selection would never be a problem. The larger stumbling block is the ever meticulous planning of Visma-Lease A Bike. Deviate from it? Then you must already have a very special reason.
Well, Van Aert has the advantage that if he asks the team something, there will also be an interest. With evidence in hand, he talks to performance coach Mathieu Heijboer.
Argument 1: An extra cross in its limited program is not an attack on road preparation. The team internship in Mallorca is on the calendar after the world championship.
Moreover, Van Aert has the good feeling (faster than expected?).
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With a look at the future: Wout van Aert wants to pop in the field one more time.
The team was quickly won for the idea, but still places a few question marks. So looking forward to the following motives.
The location: just across the border, Liévin is not a logistical attack on a top athlete. There are exactly 200 kilometers between the Kempen and the Northern French municipality. Two hours in the car, a no -nothing.
Also not a budgetary puzzle like at the World Championship in Fayetteville in 2022, so. Then teams had lost a day and a lot of stress richer with their journey to the United States.
In addition, the Dutch caravan is already there anyway. Fem van Empel and Marianne Vos are on the women’s starting list. There is probably room for a few extra bikes from Van Aert.
But also: the Belgian lives from and for the support of his fans, whom he does not want to deprive the final battle with Mathieu van der Poel. Also for the mental batteries, the encouragements do not hurt.
Bad weather means a greasier course and that is only beneficial for Van Aert.
Paul Herygers
An reasoning that our cross expert and commentator can follow completely.
“If the World Cup had now been to Benidorm, Van Aert would never have brought the idea in his head,” says Paul Herygers convinced in the Studio of Sport Weekend.
Although Herygers is convinced that Van Aert has been surprised for a long time than just last weekend. “That actually started in Loenhout and certainly in Gullegem. Then a bell started ringing that he can really win cross.”
Who knows in northern France. Because there is a tailor -made course from WVA.
“The weather forecasts are bad. Bad means a greasier course and that is only beneficial for him. Van der Poel will not be awake, but if one person can put something in the way …”
To Van Aert to complete the difficult period with a fairy tale of size.
