Start with a bang. Whether it comes as a surprise is doubtful. But Wout van Aert has convincingly won his very first clay court match. The Jumbo-Visma omnivore was nine minutes ahead of his buddy Daan Soete (2nd) in Houffalize. He immediately qualified for the World Cup. “It’s nice that the team supports me in this project,” he said afterwards.
On the field, on the track and in the gravel: a Wout van Aert who wins.
The leader of Team Jumbo – Visma immediately won the Houffa Gravel. The Belgian round of the UCI Gravel World Series in Houffalize was his first race on a gravel bike.
“I didn’t know at all what to expect and how this race would ultimately turn out. It was a very tough and challenging race,” Van Aert said about his hazing.
“There were a lot of loose stones and dangerous descents on the route, so it was a challenge to get to the finish here.”
Nevertheless, Jumbo-Visma’s all-rounder did not opt for a waiting tactic in the tough journey through the Ardennes: early in the race he was alone in the lead.
“We started very quickly and we had to climb immediately,” he said. “When we were finally out with a smaller group, it was easier to choose the right lines.”
I didn’t expect that I would immediately get such a lead here.
Wout van Aert
Van Aert’s line turned out to be the right line.
Our compatriot crossed the line with a lead of more than 9 minutes after a solo. “When I had a small gap, I could find my own rhythm. That was nice. I didn’t expect to get such a lead here right away.”
His training friend and cyclocross rider Daan Soete came second, the German former professional cyclist Paul Voss third. With his victory, Van Aert also officially qualified for the gravel world championship on October 8 in Veneto, Italy. He also wants to start there.
“It’s great that the team supports me in this project. Today I got the perfectly adjusted bike to complete this course. So we shouldn’t be afraid for the World Cup: we have the best bike on this surface too”; he winked.
Van Aert will be back in action on the road bike next week: from 3 to 10 September he will complete the Tour of Britain, a stage race for the Pro Series. He will ride it in preparation for the European championship later in September in Drenthe, the Netherlands.
The first gravel race of WVA in the picture:
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