Wout van Aert says that his Paris-Roubaix victory brought him “profound joy” – and it’s evident that many cycling fans, not just those of the Visma-Lease a Bike rider specifically, felt the same way.
It was a win that the Belgian had spent years fighting for, and one that Van Aert says taught him that perseverance can pay off. With Paris-Roubaix ticked off, the next big ambition for Van Aert is surely the Tour of Flanders – his home race. However, speaking in a new interview with Fiets.nl, he also conceded that with the presence of Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, he felt a certain amount of realism was becoming necessary when it came to De Ronde.
Like Paris-Roubaix before April this year, Van Aert has spent a long time trying to win the cobbled Monument, but never quite succeeding. He has been fourth the past three occasions, with a best placing of second back in 2020.
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“[It] teaches me that I must always keep trying,” he told the Dutch outlet. “There are riders who have better cards, but there are also few riders who get opportunities like I do. That chance can always come, and then I have to be ready. That applies to the Tour of Flanders as well.”
He added: “At the same time, it is no coincidence that it worked out in Roubaix specifically. That is one of the few Monuments where I have a more than realistic chance. The Tour is becoming increasingly difficult, especially with the presence of Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel. I have to keep believing, but also be realistic.”
Looking back over his season, Van Aert, who is still only 32, says how much he has felt fans’ own joy over his Roubaix win.
“You notice that people like to start talking about it, and do so quickly. It is a victory that clearly resonates deeply,” he said.
For him personally, Van Aert said that his Roubaix victory differed to some of his previous big wins, in that it felt less inevitable.
“Those previous big victories aren’t even that far behind us, but back then it felt more like a logical consequence of my development as a rider. Now, for myself and for the people, it was much more of a release. The word ‘finally’ comes up often. I noticed that in the reactions as well. Apparently, I have made a lot of people happy.”
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