Van Aert to race Belgian Gravel Championship

Using a gravel race as a final test before a Grand Tour isn't exactly the norm, but that's precisely what Wout van Aert will do this Sunday. The Belgian phenomenon, who is due to start the Vuelta a España shortly—a race he's only competed in once before, in 2024, with a spectacular start that was then marred by a nasty crash and forced retirement—will indulge in a decidedly unconventional detour: his debut at the Belgian Gravel Championships.

Why now, so close to such an important event? There are four reasons, all of which make sense to those who closely follow preseason strategies. First, the calendar: the race, historically held in May, is now held in August, a period with fewer commitments on the international calendar. Second, the location is a stone's throw from his home, Herentals. Third, unlike in previous years, Van Aert has no road commitments this weekend.

The fourth reason, perhaps the most significant from the perspective of the attentive fantasy cyclist, is simply that Van Aert loves racing off-road . His cyclocross background amply demonstrates this, as do his frequent participation in the Strade Bianche (including a victory in last May's Giro d'Italia) and, more recently, his triumph in this spring's Paris-Roubaix.

"The big advantage in August is that all the best road racers are available," Erwen Vervecken, a member of the Belgian Gravel Championships organizing committee, explained to Wielerflits . "Many riders are returning from the Tour or preparing for the fall. In May, you had no chance of having them. This period is ideal."

From a logistical standpoint, the location plays a crucial role: Grobbendonk is just seven kilometers as the crow flies from Herentals, Van Aert's hometown. It's also no coincidence that one of his training partners, Daan Soete (Ridley Racing), is from Grobbendonk and will be among Sunday's participants. Unlike 2025, when Van Aert raced in the then Hamburg Cyclassics (now ADAC Cyclassics) and finished tenth, this weekend the Belgian has no road racing obligations.

But the main motivation, as Vervecken confirmed to Wielerflits , is simply personal pleasure: "It's because he likes it. It fits perfectly into his preparation for the Vuelta, and allows him to ride competitively on roads where he does a lot of gravel anyway."

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