“Better than I dreamed of” - Wout van Aert gifted stunning one-off green Cervelo for final Vuelta stage
CyclingSunday, 13 September 2026 at 15:00
Wout van Aert will complete the 2026 Vuelta a Espana aboard a one-off green Cervelo after Team Visma | Lease a Bike surprised him with a bike designed to celebrate his unassailable lead in the points classification.
The custom machine was unveiled in front of Van Aert and his team-mates ahead of Sunday’s final stage in Granada. Its green and gold finish reflects the jersey the Belgian is set to secure after three weeks containing two individual victories and extensive work for others.
A Cervelo finished in green and gold
The Cervelo has been painted in a deep metallic emerald green across the frame, fork and rear triangle. Lighter green Cervelo lettering runs along the down tube, standing out against the darker base colour.
Reserve’s branding on the wheel rims has also been changed to green. Small gold emblems appear around the wheels and frame, while further gold detailing has been added near the seatpost.
Tan-wall tyres, a SRAM drivetrain and an oversized aero chainring complete the race build. Van Aert’s number 13 is still attached beneath the saddle ahead of the bike’s first competitive appearance.
Van Aert smiled as he walked around the Cervelo and examined the finished paintwork. “Looking good guys! Amazing!” he told the team members responsible for the surprise.
Once he had inspected the smaller details, the Belgian offered the verdict used to accompany the team’s reveal. “Better than I dreamed of. Thanks so much guys.”
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Two victories and 326 points
Van Aert will start stage 21 with 326 points, holding an unassailable 87-point lead over team-mate Matthew Brennan. Alessandro Romele is third with 171. The Belgian claimed his first victory of the race on stage 13 in Loja, ending a lengthy wait for another Grand Tour success. He struck again two days later in Cordoba and collected points consistently across terrain ranging from flat sprint stages to the Vuelta’s major climbs.
Van Aert has also spent much of the race working for Brennan. The young Briton won five stages during Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s dominant Vuelta, with Van Aert contributing to several of the lead-outs and tactical plans which delivered him into winning positions.
There was more team work on Saturday’s queen stage. Van Aert entered the early breakaway and collected maximum mountains points on both ascents of the Puerto de El Purche before taking the intermediate sprint in Guejar Sierra.
He later dropped back to Sepp Kuss alongside Jorgen Nordhagen and helped drive the American towards the Collado del Alguacil. Kuss eventually finished eighth on the stage, 2:19 ahead of race leader Enric Mas, and climbed six positions to fifth overall. Van Aert crossed the summit in 30th place, 16:36 behind stage winner Mikel Landa, after his work for Kuss was complete.
The final 112-kilometre stage starts and finishes in Granada, giving Van Aert one more opportunity to add to his two victories. Provided he reaches the finish, he will collect the green jersey after completing the stage on a Cervelo created specifically for the occasion.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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