Can you believe the 2026 road season is almost here? One of the riders that has big plans this year is Wout van Aert.
On Tuesday he outlined his 2026 program, anchoring his season around the Spring Classics before a packed second half of the year. Van Aert laid out his plans during Team Visma-Lease a Bike’s media day, as reported by WielerFlits. He Belgian confirmed he will begin his campaign at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and race straight through to Paris–Roubaix, fitting in a whole whack of races.
Go for it all this spring
“The goal is to be present throughout the entire spring, from Omloop to Roubaix,” Van Aert said. “I want to be competitive everywhere and take chances when they come.”
A change for this year is to focus once again on the Italian one-day races. Van Aert will again line up for Strade Bianche and Milan–San Remo, some races he skipped in recent seasons. His win on the gravel during the Giro d’Italia reinforced that Strade remains a good fit, even with course tweaks.
He described both races as highlights on the calendar and ones he no longer wants to miss. Will this be the year he finally takes Paris-Roubaix? He of course faces stiff competition..not only will his long-time rival Mathieu van der Poel be there to defend his crown–but so too is world champ Tadej Pogačar. Imagine a break with those three!
Tour, Vuelta
After the spring, attention shifts to stage racing. Monuments are central, but Van Aert is equally stoked by opportunities later in the year, starting with the Tour de France. The 2026 route includes a team time trial, something that immediately caught his eye. He spoke about winning the Tour’s TTT in Brussels in 2019 and believes the current Visma squad will do well there. But he also wants to focus on a stage win (or two) when he’s not helping Jonas Vingegaard go for the overall.
The Vuelta a España holds particular importance for him, for obvious reasons. Van Aert abandoned the race in 2024 after a heavy knee injury while leading both the points and mountains classifications. “That’s still an open chapter for me,” he said, adding that the race is
His big wish for the year is simpler: a steady, trouble-free season. “If I can ride consistently and without setbacks,” he said, “the rest usually follows.”
Thankfully he is back on the bike after a nasty crash during an incredible duel with Mathien van der Poel in Mol. The Big Two were in the middle of a battle royale cycling fans hadn’t seen…
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