by
Wout van Aert had a road season with more downs than ups and after having to abandon the Vuelta due to an accident, he has called it a day. So the Belgian is currently enjoying some vacation, even though the cyclocross season is approaching and his legs will be itching to get back on the bike and cover his face in mud.
National coach Sven Nys has a lot of strong cards in the biggest races, but the presence of the three-time world champion (2016-2018) is always more than welcome. But given all the bruises that the Visma | If you lease a bike that the rider takes off the road, Nys is careful about making ambitious claims.
“Wout already has a few scratches on the body. We’re talking about horror crashes. You take it with you, physically and mentally. It won’t get any faster either. When you see Wout now, he looks exactly like Ivan Drago.” “The Russian that Sylvester Stallone is boxing against. Such an athlete,” says Nys in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.
Nys appears to be cautious with his expectations of the Belgian, as does his former rival Bart Wellens. “Last year Van Aert was the best on his specific routes. But technically he made a lot of mistakes,” he noted.
Sven Nys also believes that Van Aert will certainly not be unbeatable when he returns. “Against men in good shape – like Eli Iserbyt and Thibau Nys – he can be beaten. The big question is: With what intention does he come into the game?”
“Last year was all about spring. You could see that he was improving. The Wout from two years ago was a different level. At this top level, no one can beat him, not even the best Thibau or Eli.” “Wellens wants to give him the necessary compliments.
