“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”} }”>
OUDENAARDE, Belgium (Velo) – Despite missing out on the victory Visma-Lease a Bike riders seemed to be upbeat about their rides on a sunny Sunday in Flanders. Indeed Wout van Aert regained confidence after Wednesday’s anticlimax in Waregem.
According to teammate Tiesj Benoot, his team leader will only be better at next week’s Paris-Roubaix.
He finished up fourth at the end of a dramatic Tour of Flanders but at times in the finale looked like the strongest of those in the chase.
“I worked really hard to be good today and to be good next week,” Van Aert said.
“It was good to be on the appointment today [riding strongly – ed.]. The only thing that’s missing today is a podium result. I finished in the position I deserve. It was cool to battle for the podium. I have no regrets. I really tried it.
“Tadej was stronger and the other two in the sprint were also stronger. It was a big fight to try and stay with them, or try to get back after the climbs because they were really flying on the climbs.
“From a personal view, I’m really happy,” Van Aert said.
The Belgian has had a difficult time getting back up to full speed following his crash in last year’s Vuelta a España. He rode well in some cyclo-cross events over the winter but is yet to return to his top form.
He will take encouragement from is showing on Sunday, though, particularly with the quality of his performance at times in the finale.
‘After Paterberg there was briefly a bit of hope’
Recently returned from an altitude camp, Van Aert appeared to grow stronger towards the end of the race. He put in an impressive attack just before the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont and while he was caught and passed by Pogačar on the climb, he led the pursuit of him to the summit.
He was highly impressed by the world champion.
“Already during the first ascent it was clear that he was extraordinary good,” he said. “He chased me down on the asphalt before the cobbles of the Oude Kwaremont and then still dropped the others.
“He was stronger. The special thing with him is that he can repeat his moves on every climb, always at the same fast pace. For the others, that’s much harder. From the second time over the Kwaremont it was nothing but suffering. It was better not to think about that.
“We had a great situation with Tiesj [Benoot] in the breakaway group. It allowed us to focus on our position in the group. Uphill, it was clear that they were stronger but we managed to bridge back up a few times. Then to be able to ride towards a podium result was nice.”
Van Aert initially believed that the chase group with Pedersen, Stuyven, Mathieu van der Poel and himself might be strong enough to chase down Pogačar in the headwind finale towards Oudenaarde.
“After the Paterberg there was briefly a bit of hope because we were with four men in the chase group, but we were all dead-empty,” he said.
“It quickly became obvious that we focused on the podium spots. The Ronde doesn’t lie. If Tadej rides away, then he’s the strongest. The only chance for us to win the Ronde was when Mathieu would’ve been able to stay with Tadej. Then they might start to look at each other. That didn’t happen.”
An encouraging day: ‘We would have signed for this before the race’
Van Aert wasn’t the sole Visma-Lease a Bike rider to perform strongly. Matteo Jorgenson was prominent for much of the race, while Benoot featured in a breakaway group that took off when attacks were flying around in the headwind after the Molenberg.
That was just over 100km from the finish, yet he was able to take sixth place.
“I was in a strong breakaway group, with Stefan Küng, Matteo Trentin and Filippo Ganna,” he said.
“I’m proud to survive and finish among the strongest riders in the end.”
Benoot ended up winning a two-up sprint for sixth place, holding off the peloton and beating Küng.
With Van Aert finishing fourth and Jorgenson in front for a very long time, he was pleased with the performance.
“This is something that we would’ve signed for before the race,” he said. “The podium would’ve been the icing on the cake.
“As a team we made it so hard for them, but Pogačar was just the strongest rider out there. That’s what you get with the current course of the Ronde; it’s dead honest.
“I think Wout can still improve but he’s coming back from very far away, after what happened last year. We got the most out of it today.”
Van Aert is indeed on the up. Benoot was nevertheless asked why he was sure that he would keep improving.
His answer was a concise one.
“Because I know him quite well.”
