Van Aert: "At my best, I definitely have a chance" at the World Championships

Wout Van Aert is back. And he's done it with the style his fantasy cycling fans know well: three stage wins and the overall classification at the Tour of Denmark have restored the confidence of the Belgian rider from Visma-Lease a Bike that seemed lost in the previous months. Now his focus shifts to the two major end-of-season events: the Vuelta a España and the World Championships in Canada.

In Montreal, on a very tough hilly course, Van Aert does not hold back despite the almost certain presence of two sacred monsters: the two-time defending champion Tadej Pogačar and his compatriot Remco Evenepoel , already a world champion in Wollongong in 2022. For fantasy cycling, this is a detail not to be underestimated: if the Belgian confirms the sensations in Denmark, he could forcefully return to the list of names to keep an eye on for the rainbow jersey, perhaps at a market price still affordable compared to the two overall favorites.

"Tadej and Remco are two different types of riders than me," Van Aert told Het Laatste Nieuws after five days of winning races on Danish soil. A polite way of saying he's playing a different game, but not necessarily a loser.

"It's a tough course that will always be challenging for me. But I've finished second in Montreal in the past. If I'm at my best, I definitely have a chance there. I don't consider myself completely out of luck, and that's why I want to give it a try," added the Belgian rider, hinting at concrete ambitions.

The World Championships route, which will span 272 kilometers and feature 3,803 meters of elevation gain over 12 laps of the Mont Royal circuit, doesn't see Van Aert as the clear favorite over the two who finished first and second in the Tour de France. However, his previous performance in 2022—when he finished second, just behind Pogačar, in a sprint finish, albeit on a 50-kilometer shorter route—proves that the Belgian knows his stuff when it comes to that type of finish.

It will be his return to the World Championships after Glasgow 2023, where he finished second behind Mathieu van der Poel. He also finished second in Imola in 2022 and fourth in Wollongong, but has been out of contention for the past two years: first due to a crash at the 2024 Vuelta, then due to his decision to "keep quiet" last season after a very intense campaign. For those who play fantasy cycling, this performance pattern in major World Championships deserves attention: Van Aert's podium finishes seem almost a habit rather than an exception.

Before flying to Canada, the Belgian will be alongside Pogačar for the Vuelta a España, which starts in Monaco on August 22nd. The stated goals are clear: chasing stage wins and, why not, keeping an eye on the red jersey from the opening time trial.

"Yes, definitely. I want to get as close as possible from the start," he told HLN of the 9km time trial. "It's a short time trial, so the position on the bike matters a little less. It's fortunate for me, because due to my inflamed elbow, I've been able to use the time trial bike very little. Leaning on those handlebars was causing me a lot of problems. But we'll work hard on that aspect in the coming weeks."

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