ANALYSIS: Is there any cause for concern over Wout van Aert’s start to the season?

Wout van Aert has officially kicked off his 2025 road season, but his performances so far have sparked some discussion. While it is still very early in the year, and form naturally builds over time, some fans have noted that he has not yet been at his best. Given the Belgian’s reputation as one of the true elite riders in the peloton, it is understandable that any signs of struggle prompt these sort of questions.

Van Aert is coming off an injury-ridden 2024 road season, where he suffered two significant crashes. If we take a look back at last year, it all started going wrong at Dwars door Vlaanderen, where he broke his collarbone and was forced to miss major spring classics, including the Tour of Flanders.

Later in the year, his Vuelta a Espana campaign was cut short following another crash in Stage 16, which led to his abandonment when he was leading the points and mountains classifications. While he was able to return to cyclocross in the winter and showed strong form at points, road racing is overall more of a dangerous sport due to the high speeds and road surfaces. Could this be a factor?

Van Aert made his 2025 road debut at Clasica Jaén, but his performance did not meet the usual high expectations. He finished 24th, a result that his team openly admitted was disappointing. "We certainly expected more," Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s DS stated after the race. However, Van Aert himself remained calm, saying, "I'm certainly not bad, but I felt that I wouldn't win."

The debate about Van Aert’s current level continued at the Volta ao Algarve, where he had ambitions to fight for a sprint victory yesterday but was hindered by poor positioning. He acknowledged the issue, stating, "I lost too many positions there to ride a good sprint."

Benji Naesen further observed on Twitter that "Wout van Aert seemed a bit uncomfortable fighting for positions, losing 3 places in every corner leading up to the sprint." This has led to speculation about whether he is struggling to regain his confidence in tight racing situations, a crucial aspect of his ability to contest for wins.

Despite these early struggles, former professional and cycling analyst Johan Bruyneel has downplayed any major concerns about Van Aert’s form. "There is no reason to worry about Wout van Aert," Bruyneel assured, believing that Van Aert is simply working towards his peak and will be in top shape when it matters most for races like the Tour of Flanders.

Van Aert himself remains focused on improving. "Win? I really want that, yes," he has said in the Algarve, and surely it won’t take much longer before we see Van Aert back to his brilliant best.

While there is little doubt about Van Aert’s physical ability, the mental impact of last year’s crashes should not be overlooked. Riders who experience major accidents often need time to regain their confidence in the chaos of the peloton. This could explain why he appeared hesitant in positioning battles at the Volta ao Algarve.

While Van Aert’s opening performances of 2025 have not set the world alight, it is too soon to sound any alarm bells. He is returning from a difficult 2024 season and is gradually building back to his peak, and naturally this will take some time.

His struggles with positioning in the sprints could hint at lingering mental barriers from last year’s crashes, but he has time to refine his form. As Johan Bruyneel pointed out, the real goal is to peak for the Tour of Flanders, and if Van Aert can progress steadily in the coming weeks, there may be no reason for concern at all.