Wout van Aert’s season raises questions about his future. Performance remains strong, but the prospects towards 2026 are being viewed more critically.
Evaluation of the past year
Van Aert had a solid spring and achieved stage wins in both the Giro and Tour. He was also the only one who could help Pogacar uphill.
Other observers pointed out the contrast between his spring and his Tour performance. They emphasized that his missed opportunities in Flemish races were difficult to explain, while he was later able to beat the top favorite in the Tour.
Pogacar’s fatigue was also pointed out after three tough weeks, but at the same time the fact remained that Van Aert wanted to win that last stage. However, some fear that his racing style has become more cautious, which could affect his chances in the spring.
Van Aert himself indicated that positioning was a problem. He said that he sometimes hesitated in the peloton and that he navigated between relief that he did not fall and frustration about bad positions.
Scars
De Cauwer nuanced that Van Aert will certainly continue to achieve success, but that the many falls and scars have their impact. “It is also normal that you carry all those falls and all those scars. Just take a look at his knee,” he says in Het Nieuwsblad.
Previous incidents, such as his fall in the 2019 Tour, were also cited as the starting point of a long series of physical setbacks.
Finally, De Cauwer remained clear in his assessment of Van Aert’s absolute top level. He concluded: “We saw the best Van Aert two years later in the Tour, when he won a time trial, a mountain stage and a sprint stage. We will not see that Van Aert again,” he concluded.
