Visma-Lease a Bike’s Wout van Aert says he won’t be considering himself as one of the so-called ‘big four’ when he starts the Tour of Flanders this weekend, and knows that his main rivals are still a level above him as he chases victory in his home Monument.
The Belgian was practically pre-destined to be a Classics rider, but in recent years he’s been usurped on home turf by the likes of Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel, and for all that he’s confident about himself, he was also realistic about his rivals going into Sunday’s race.
There was one moment that almost told you all you need to know about how Van Aert – and the rest of the world – views himself when it comes to his status against the sport’s greats.
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A journalist had just asked him about his rivals’ data-based flexes in the run up to Flanders – Pogačar’s Cipressa record and Van der Poel’s 90-minute power at E3 – and whether Van Aert wanted to throw his own numerical brag into the ring.
“But they were not there, so…” Van Aert trailed off. Even his successes, he judges in the context of his rivals.
It’s hard to argue with Van Aert’s point, given Van der Poel and Pogačar will start on Sunday as winners of the last 10 Monuments and with four Flanders victories between them, but Van Aert’s view on his place is certainly more deference than anything else. He doesn’t try to assert himself or talk himself up. Is this a sign of being more relaxed than previous year?
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