"I decided not to exhaust all my energy" - Wout van Aert gives it a go but thinks long-term at Vuelta a Espana

Wout van Aert is currently in the lead of the points classification at the Vuelta a España, a slim lead over Kaden Groves. The hilly sixth day of racing was an opportunity to extend it and the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider tried, however it was not possible and ultimately he took the final kilometers of the day easy instead of trying to capture a few points at the final sprint.

“I definitely wanted to try. Unfortunately, it’s always easier said than done," the Belgian rider said in a press release issued by the team. "The race really exploded on one of the climbs, which made it difficult for me". Briefly, van Aert was indeed in one of the groups ahead of the peloton but his group was caught. As BORA were not trying to control the breakaway, it looked obvious that the front group would win.

"I decided not to exhaust all my energy, keeping in mind what’s still to come in the next two weeks," van Aert explains, shedding an extra 14 minutes at the finish line to the peloton. "Today’s stage involved a lot of twists and turns, making it easier for a select group than for the peloton. It was tough to take control. Tomorrow, Team Visma | Lease a Bike will have another chance,”

The finale into Córdoba tomorrow is hard but the stage overall much easier to control, and it will certainly provide a better opportunity for him to score a second victory.