Van Aert disappointed after the time trial: "I know I lost time."

Wout van Aert 's dream of immediately returning to the red jersey at the Vuelta a España , a race he hadn't competed in for two years, was shattered by the technical and treacherous asphalt of Monaco. Despite serious commitment and meticulous preparation, the Belgian champion of Visma-Lease a Bike had to surrender an eighth-place finish, nine seconds behind the day's winner and overall favorite, Tadej Pogačar .

A bitter déjà vu for Van Aert: two years ago, in the opening time trial in Lisbon, he finished just three seconds behind winner Brandon McNulty. This time the gap widened, and the one to mock him was none other than McNulty's captain at UAE Team Emirates, the Slovenian shark who promises to be the star of this Vuelta.

The route, which wound along the roads made famous by the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, tested all the riders with its tight corners and split-second decisions, just like on a real motorsports circuit. Van Aert had prepared meticulously , even simulating the course in Belgium for training, but the extremely technical nature of the course still prevailed, preventing him from repeating his time trial success at the 2022 Tour de France.

"I'm simply satisfied with my performance, and I should be. I gave it my all, but I know I lost time on the corners," Van Aert told reporters at the finish line, as reported by Sporza . "I took a few fewer risks than usual, but that was my choice. My legs were working well, so as I said, I'm satisfied."

Before the race, the Belgian had been vocal in his criticism of the track , deeming it excessively technical in some sections, and he reiterated this position at the finish line. However, he was keen to point out that this wasn't meant to be an excuse for the defeat: "The setting was truly unique; racing on these closed-off roads and on the F1 circuit was special. I had fun. But in some places it was too technical, almost on the limit. However, that's not my excuse."

An interesting fact for fantasy cycling fans: Van Aert's lead isn't solely due to his greater caution on the corners. He was already four seconds behind at the first intermediate time, a gap that steadily increased until the finish, a sign of a slight drop in pace in the finale rather than a purely tactical decision.

His team's words, however, convey a message of moderate satisfaction . "We can be reasonably satisfied," the Visma-Lease a Bike technician commented to Het Laatste Nieuws . "We were aiming for the win, so obviously we're not overly happy that it didn't come. Wout said he felt very good and couldn't explain how he lost so much time in the final stretch."

Fantasy managers beware: Van Aert could take the leader's jersey on stage two, so he could be ideally positioned as the captain. It's a long, rolling stage to Manosque, 209 kilometers long with a short, final uphill climb: an ideal hunting ground for the Belgian, who could decisively target time bonuses. Be careful, though, because other top sprinters and rouleurs like Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) could forcefully enter the fray on this type of finish.

"I absolutely wanted to stay within that margin," added Van Aert, who is now just nine seconds behind Pogačar, a rider who—it's worth remembering for fantasy cycling fans—managed to reclaim the leader's jersey in the 2024 Vuelta in the second stage thanks to time bonuses. "Of course, I started today with the goal of fighting for the win, but being so close is still satisfying."