In a Strava message, the Jumbo-Visma cyclist wrote "Crossertje's training," a reference to
Patrick Lefevere's comments. In an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, the Soudal Quick-Step team manager had opined that Van Aert had remained a "crosser" for too long.
During his tenure as a full-time cyclocross, Van Aert had once commented, “Let me stay a crosserke." Patrick Lefevere had stated that he did not try to recruit Van Aert for Quick-Step owing to that statement.