With the Belgian championships this weekend we are cutting the general rehearsal for the Tour de France. No Wout van Aert in the time trial on Friday, but next Sunday a lot is expected of him in the road trial. And what can he mean in the Tour? Do we get a battle with Van der Poel?
After all, we suddenly saw the Dutchman in the Dauphine riding for green, plus that the first tour week has at least 4 rides in store that should be very good both Van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel. So the old -fashioned clash, although boys will certainly mix. But if you have to make a choice between the two, for Sporza cycling manager, for example, who do you choose?
A question that Renaat Schotte and José De Cauwer try to solve. For the first it is clear: “You always let me choose first, José. Then I go for Van Aert, because I feel he will cycle a little more results together,” it sounds at Schotte.
De Cauwer goes in the opposite direction, and immediately sees it gloomy for Van Aert: “Because there is no other way, I choose Van der Poel. Because I think Van Aert will be blocked more by Vingegaard.”
De Cauwer thinks that the Dutchman will be very ambitious. Van der Poel and the Tour is a love-hate relationship, but he wants to return to score. And that opening week is for the classic types. I think he will be more for himself here than for Philipsen. “
Jasper Philipsen. With that they immediately end up with a second dilemma. Philipsen, or Tim Merlier? “I am forced to pronounce myself first and then I choose Merlier. More than likely he will win on day 1 and takes it yellow. He delivers points,” says Schotte.
Again De Cauwer makes – whether or not – the opposite choice: “In principle, he is the fastest at pure speed, but that first week has a lot of tricky arrivals. To defend my choice: that difficulty rate is slightly more in favor of Philipsen.”
