It was a striking image in the tenth stage. Wout van Aert who suddenly went ahead of the peloton together with Mathieu van der Poel, looking for the front runners. A short adventure that ended with a fizzle.
Tom Dumoulin saw it happen with growing amazement. “I don’t understand it at all. I still understand from Mathieu that he will play a bit and drive on for a while. Wout is accidentally in his wheel, but then takes over and continues to drive. I did not understand that.”
Eddy Planckaert also made his eyes wide. “Waste all that energy and that for a rider with such abilities. He can ride uphill and survive tough stages. He should be able to win three stages every year.”
At Planckaert, the missed opportunity for Van Aert in the second stage is still heavy on his stomach. “Vingegaard should have only driven 100 meters in front there and that would not have hurt him. Van Aert had won on one leg then. But I have heard that Van Aert will also do Vingegaard’s garden after the Tour.”
Tom Dumoulin has a better understanding of the division of roles at Jumbo-Visma. “Until today, Wout van Aert has done everything right, he has been a super teammate for Jonas Vingegaard.”
“Jumbo-Visma has only one goal and that is to win the Tour. Wout can take his chance in the stages that suit him. They also went for him in the second stage, but Vingegaard was told before the Tour that he In principle, Van Aert should not help, although he should have done it then.”
The tenth stage also offered opportunities for Van Aert on paper, but it was an eventful day. Dumoulin is critical. “Wout didn’t have a good ride. He really threw his powers.”
“At a certain moment he even had to release where it was not really necessary. The team might have needed him at a later time.”
“I also did not understand his move in the final. If you want to win the Tour with Vingegaard, Van Aert should not actually do this. With 1 climb to go and 2.5 minutes from the leading group, you no longer have to attack The chance is minimal that you will join the leading group.”
“That was wasted energy. In the first place for himself, but also for the team.”
2023-07-11 22:00:05
#Tom #Dumoulin #understand #Wout #van #Aert #threw #powers #Tour #France
