"I believe I have a chance of winning in both races" - Wout van Aert carrying high ambitions into Canadian classics

Wout van Aert is arguably the man to beat at both Canadian classics, however with the large amount of favourites, there won't be a specific coverage of the Belgian. After the season he's had, this will be another set of races where he can perform.

“These races are part of my preparation for the world championship. But I don’t come here just to establish a race rhythm. These are two beautiful races at the WorldTour level," Van Aert said in a press release. "I’m also here because I believe I have a chance of winning in both races. We are starting with a strong team. My shape is fine. After a short break in the past few weeks, it felt good to be back on the bike.”

Whilst Montréal provides more of an opportunity for the climbers, Québec is a race that frequently ends in a slight uphill bunch sprint, ideal for the Jumbo-Visma leader's ambitions. "There is a significant chance of a group sprint on Friday in Québec. Therefore explosiveness will likely be crucial," he said of today's race.

Following the tremendously successful Tour de France, he has taken no time to get back on track, with a second place at BEMER Cyclassics and an impressive win at the Bretagne Classic assuring he has got strong form, "I am eager to achieve good results, not least because I have not won these races before," he said.

“I can tell more about my experiences after the race. I enjoy being here. It is nice to experience this culture and this landscape. It will not be easy to win one of these two races, but if I manage to do so, I will be a happy person”, the Belgian concluded.