"That's why I decided to stay here forever," Wout van Aert concludes career at Visma | Lease a Bike

The Belgian is currently out of action after an ugly crash in the Vuelta a España, which cost him participation in the European and World Championships. At the time of the crash, he was riding in the Spanish Tour's green and polka dot jerseys, which he could not finish.

Both parties again expressed at the Tour of Spain that the work ethic matched well. Van Aert, for example, was very satisfied with Sepp Kuss's services, while Plugge and co praised the Belgian's thanks to his teammates afterward.

These good working relations are sealed with a new indefinite commitment, making it clear that Van Aert will end his career in the service of Visma | Lease a Bike. The Belgian turned thirty last Sunday, but he still wants and can last quite a few more years in the pro peloton. Later in the day, the team and rider confirmed that news.

"I didn't have to think long when this idea came up," Van Aert said. "First of all, because at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, we work with the best people and materials. We constantly improve, so we keep developing individually and as a team. I owe a lot of success to that; we do it together. But besides that, I feel very much at home in this team, which is very important to me. This team is unique and has suited me for five years, and I want to keep it that way. That's why I decided to stay here forever, and that feels good."

"Wout is a fantastic rider with a great record," adds CEO Richard Plugge. "He is an all-rounder: a sprinter, a classic rider, a time trialist, and on his best days, he also wins a mountain stage like the famous victory on Mont Ventoux in the Tour de France. Besides that, Wout has become an important figure in the team's culture and an indispensable link in our team. He is a leader and a team player. He is a rider who also makes others on the team better just through his insights and charisma. We are delighted with him, and fortunately, that is mutual."

Van Aert has been riding for—then still—Jumbo-Visma since 2019 and has already experienced a lot in service to the team. These include nine stage wins in the Tour de France, his contribution to Jonas Vingegaard's Tour victories, numerous (semi-)classics, and other victories, but also lows such as the heavy fall in the 2019 Tour de France and Dwars door Vlaanderen this year.