Van Aert is increasingly considering his Giro debut," confirms Jumbo-Visma: "He wants to do it himself, but it has to fit"

The likelihood of Wout van Aert making his debut in the Giro d'Italia is steadily increasing. The Belgian cyclist from Jumbo-Visma has consistently participated in the Tour de France since 2019, which has prevented him from starting in the Giro or the Vuelta a España. According to sports director Marc Reef, Van Aert is quite interested in competing in a grand tour in his beloved Italy. Reef shared this during an interview with IDLProCycling.com on Thursday, following the conclusion of Gran Piemonte.

This year, Van Aert decided to participate in the Italian autumn classics for the first time, partly due to the World Gravel Championship taking place on Sunday in Treviso. In previous years, various factors prevented him from doing so. In 2019, Van Aert had to withdraw from the Tour due to a severe thigh injury. In 2020, the cycling season was disrupted by the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Paris-Roubaix was rescheduled to October, and in 2022, he felt fatigued after an excellent Tour de France performance and the World Cup in Australia. Consequently, the Italian autumn classics were not on his schedule in the past.

Last week, Van Aert competed in the Coppa Bernocchi (and emerged victorious) and Gran Piemonte (finishing 52nd) for the first time. However, his discussions primarily revolved around other topics. With IDLProCycling.com, we thus headed to the Jumbo-Visma team bus, as Italy seems like a great fit for Van Aert. During the spring, he had already participated multiple times in Italian races like Strade Bianche (victorious in 2020, third in '18 and '19) and Milan-Sanremo (winner in 2020, third in '21 and '23). He had also taken part in Tirreno-Adriatico twice and Milan-Turin once. The only significant Italian race missing from his calendar is the Giro d'Italia.

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Wout van Aert in Gran Piemonte, last Thursday

Van Aert already indicated Giro wish at Jumbo-Visma

When asked about the possibility of Wout van Aert participating in the Tour of Italy, Reef initially released a deep sigh, indicating that he hadn't yet given it much thought. "Everything is possible, but it will depend on the season's planning and how the preparation is organized. He would like to compete in it himself, but the timing remains uncertain. We will assess the situation after this season and have discussions with the riders about their vision for the next season and how it aligns with our plans. He will certainly ride the Giro at some point, but as for which year that will be..."

During the summer, Van Aert mentioned in Procycling magazine that he was interested in trying something different. "The Tour remains the biggest and most prestigious stage race on the planet, with all due respect to the Giro and the Vuelta. Excelling in the Tour has immeasurable value in terms of public exposure, commercial aspects, and sporting achievements. However, I'm always seeking new challenges. So, someday, the time will be right, and I'll participate in the Giro or the Vuelta." Reef concurs, stating, "He seeks out new challenges in his racing calendar. For instance, in recent years, he competed in the Dauphiné as preparation for the Tour, but this time he chose the Tour de Suisse. He is open to different approaches and innovations. That suits him, but the specific details will be determined in due course."