Van Aert wanted to compete in Gent-Wevelgem after doubts following E3, but Visma | Lease a Bike didn't allow it

In all the analyses, opinions, and interviews, we came across a short passage from an article by HLN the day after Dwars door Vlaanderen. It is, of course, about Wout van Aert, who apparently had more doubts about the start on Wednesday than the average cycling fan could have imagined. The Belgian would have liked to do Gent-Wevelgem, but his Visma | Lease a Bike coach would not allow it.

The Belgian newspaper speaks of van Aert's feeling of guilt. He ruined a 3-on-1 situation in Dwars door Vlaanderen by claiming his two teammates. Van Aert wanted to sprint, so Matteo Jorgenson and Tiesj Benoot rode in front of him in the final kilometers. Neilson Powless of EF Education-EasyPost watched in approval and surprisingly outsprinted Van Aert in Waregem.

A blow to the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, Van Aert's two main goals. "And it wasn't as if he didn't have other things on his mind," writes HLN. "On Friday in the E3 Saxo Classic, he had hoped for a better race and better results. Before the start of Dwars door Vlaanderen, he dismissed that he was not good enough to win on Friday as 'no big deal', but by Friday evening, he had seriously begun to doubt the preparations for his two main goals."

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Wout van Aert

Van Aert was not allowed to compete in Gent-Wevelgem 

After the E3, Van Aert would have liked to compete in Gent-Wevelgem. The race was not on the schedule, but after finishing 15th on Friday, the Visma star wanted to gain some rhythm two days later. "Van Aert had asked his team if it was worth considering competing in Gent-Wevelgem. That race was not on his program last year or this year because you often suffer from physical recovery issues five to six days after a long altitude training session," he said.

Visma | Lease a Bike ultimately decided to go with that reasoning. Van Aert really wanted to start in Gent-Wevelgem to clear his head and regain his confidence. There was also a spot available because Visma had to put in a replacement anyway to replace a rider who was ill. The final decision was made by Mathieu Heijboer, Van Aert's trainer and the team's performance manager. He decided against it. The numbers took priority over gut feeling.

Read more below the photo.

Van Aert bowed his head to Powless

Niermann explains Gent-Wevelgem choice for Van Aert

After Dwars door Vlaanderen, Grischa Niermann was confronted with the choice. The German sports director said: "It was indeed an option that Wout would still ride Ghent-Wevelgem, but we chose not to. Adding an extra race to a program as a last resort does not always work out well. We would have agreed if we had seen from our statistics that Wout still lacked certain elements after Harelbeke. But our trainers' analysis showed that Wout could especially use some extra rest so soon after his altitude training."

Read also

Belgian analysts in disbelief after Dwars door Vlaanderen: "The last 100 meters ruined a lot"

Visma | Lease a Bike saw a different Van Aert after Dwars door Vlaanderen crash, but tests and E3 proved that changing style is not an option

Extremely disappointed Wout van Aert says he has to make 'silly' statements after his blunder in Dwars door Vlaanderen

Jorgenson points out Visma's weak spot after Dwars door Vlaanderen debacle: "We’re honest about it"

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