"Even though I wanted more. I gave everything I had" - Wout van Aert 'satisfied' and 'proud' despite missing podium at Paris-Roubaix 2025

Wout van Aert's wait for Monument glory goes on. Despite a creditable performance from the Belgian star at Paris-Roubaix 2025, the best the Visma leader could manage was a 4th placed finish, losing out in a sprint for the podium to Mads Pedersen, over two minutes down on Mathieu van der Poel.

On something of a rollercoaster day for Van Aert on the cobbles, he crashed relatively early on, bashing up his previously injured knee, only to get back in contention with the rest of the favourites relatively quickly after. In the Arenberg he then seemed in trouble once again, even being dropped by his teenage Team Visma | Lease a Bike teammate Matthew Brennan. As shown by the fact that he eventually got himself back up to the fight for the 3rd spot on the podium though, Van Aert never gave up despite the difficulties.

“I’m left with kind of a strange feeling,” Van Aert admitted honestly in his post-race interview at the finish. “In the Arenberg, I just didn’t have the legs - I couldn’t push through, I don’t know what it was. At that point, I didn’t think I’d be part of the finale. But after that, I felt better, though Mads was stronger today.”

“The aim was, of course, to achieve more, but I think I finished where I belonged in both races,” the Visma leader added in conclusion. “I have to be satisfied with that, even though I wanted more. I gave everything I had, and I need to be proud of that.”