Van Aert embraces the "never be afraid to lose" credo: 'I will be judged on it, but I believe in it'

First participation, first victory. Marianne Vos achieved this on Saturday for Visma | Lease a Bike in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for women, and now Wout van Aert has done the same for the men's branch in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. "This one looks great on my list of achievements," the Belgian reflected with satisfaction during the press conference.

From the moment the race was broadcast, the men from Visma | Lease a Bike were already leading the pack. "Our strategy was to hit the climbs hard and really ignite the race," said Van Aert. "It wasn't necessarily my intention to break away with four, but my legs felt good, and the situation just unfolded naturally. It could also have been that we were with fifteen, and then I would have had some teammates with me, so it was a good situation either way."

Initially, Tim Wellens, Oier Lazkano, and Laurence Pithie could keep up. "I had to take a moment to assess the situation behind me, but the group was small, which gave me confidence that it was manageable to control the situation in the finale," the Belgian stated, who saw teammates Dylan van Baarle, Matteo Jorgenson, and Christophe Laporte exerting pressure from behind. "I wasn't exactly sure what was happening behind me, but it had been agreed that they could come from behind if possible. That would have been a good situation too, but a large gap quickly formed. This made it difficult to bridge across."

In the finale of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, Van Aert acknowledged feeling the heat.

In the end, they remained a quartet at the front. "Tim was incredibly strong, and Lazkano, you just wind him up, and he keeps going. So, he was also a very valuable teammate and a strong companion, but we also worked well together to extend our lead. That gave us the best chance of winning this race, as there's always some organization forming behind us. With the tailwind, however, I had already considered the breakaway riders to have a good chance."

Then he accelerated again, partly on the advice of team director Arthur van Dongen. "Pithie wasn't really taking turns, and at that moment, it was hard to tell if it was due to inability or tactics, so I preferred to get rid of him if possible. The aim in the hill zone was to gain as much time as possible, as we proved to be stronger than the rest there. That's why we pushed hard on every climb."

In Kuurne, they then made it seem relatively easy, securing the semi-classic definitively. "Towards the end, there was some pressure to seal the deal. You're here with an incredibly strong team, and then you just have to deliver in that breakaway. Succeeding makes me quite proud. I'm very happy to see the level everyone is reaching, and that also gives me confidence for what's to come," Van Aert says, who was also pleased with the form of newcomers Jorgenson and Jan Tratnik. "Matteo rode the classics for the first time last year. He's a super strong and great guy to race with, who wants and can compete from a distance, so along with Jan, that's just a very good reinforcement for the team we already had."

Altitude training expected to give Van Aert 'Just that little bit extra'

Van Aert will now be heading not to Tuscany by car or plane, but to the Tenerife airport. "I'm looking forward to continuing to work on my form. I didn't expect to be this strong already, but I'm especially pleased with how well I've recovered from the Omloop. My legs felt perhaps even better than on Saturday, so that's a positive sign."

So, what is the altitude training expected to bring him? "I believe I can improve even further. It's always relative and hard to quantify, but the training approach has been designed to make me just that little bit better. The Omloop and Kuurne are tough races, but the Tour of Flanders is on another level of difficulty. That's why it's crucial to get a bit better," he explains. This was precisely why he lined up at Kuurne. "I'll definitely be at the start of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne again. In the past, the plan was always to stay fresher for the upcoming races, but this year it fitted in well."

Missing his beloved Strade Bianche does hurt in a way. "Yes and no. When I watch the race on Saturday, it'll be... 'hurt' is too strong a word, but you inevitably start thinking 'maybe this, or maybe that?' By now, I've got the experience to know that training has always made me better, and racing a lot doesn't necessarily do so. I wanted to try this new approach, and we'll see if it pays off. I'm sure I'll be judged on it, but - also with the Giro coming up - I believe in it. Hopefully, that pays off," the athlete speaks, embodying the 'never be afraid to lose' spirit.