With a name like Wout Van Aert, it seems like your destiny as a cyclist is pretty much set. That was the case for a 15-year-old cyclist from Antwerp, Belgium, according to a report from Sporza.
However, the funny thing is he wasn’t named after one of the best cyclists in the world. Fifteen years ago, van Aert (senior) wasn’t a household name. “And we’re not even distant relatives,” he said. “My last name is spelled with a capital ‘V’, not a small ‘v’ like the pro rider Wout van Aert, whose grandparents are Dutch.”
Belgians usually capitalize the V, whereas the Dutch don’t—think Mathieu van der Poel. Speaking of MVDP, Wout Van Aert junior is not a fan. “I’m not a fan of Mathieu van der Poel,” says Van Aert firmly. “I’m not against Van der Poel, but I’m just for Van Aert.”
Having the same name as one of the biggest names in Belgian sport is not as much fun lately.
“In the beginning, I thought it was pretty fun,” the teenager said. “But when I sign up for a race, they often remind me that I have the same name as the big Wout Van Aert. It’s a bit annoying, but not a huge deal. By now, they know there’s another rider with the same name.”
He got into cycling after his grandfather got him a mountain bike in grade school. By high school, he was on a road bike, and before you know it, he was, quite literally, off to the races. He said he’s got a good sprint and likes tough races but doesn’t like the steep hills in the Flemish Ardennes.
As far as he knows, the older van Aert doesn’t know about him. But given that Sporza (and Canadian Cycling Magazine, hey Wout!) are writing this up, chances are he will soon.
His dream, as you can imagine, is to meet the Visma – Lease a Bike rider. “I don’t think Wout van Aert knows there’s another Wout Van Aert racing. It would be really amazing to meet my namesake and idol in person.”
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…