"I gambled a bit and it didn't work out" - Wout van Aert fails to conclude Jumbo-Visma's work at GP de Québec

Jumbo-Visma came to Canada with their classics lineup to fight for the win at the GP de Québec, but Wout van Aert could only deliver a fourth place as the sprinters failed to catch Benoît Cosnefroy.

"I wanted to seal the team's splendid work with a victory", Van Aert said in a post-race interview. "We had the race under control the whole day. Unfortunately, it's not a computer game in which I can just finish it off. In the final, there were attacks from all sides. One moment of doubt and a rider could get away."

Jumbo-Visma had tactically thrived, having Timo Roosen and Nathan van Hooydonck covering late attacks, entering the final string of climbs in perfect positioning, and having Christophe Laporte counter-attack Cosnefroy in the closing kilometers to allow Wout van Aert to stay as fresh as possible for the sprint. It was a plan almost ridden to perfection, but the AG2R Citroën Team rider had stupendous legs on the day and took an impressive win. "I'm not completely surprised. He is a specialist in this area and these attacks are his specialty. In the final phase, the strongest riders remained," the Jumbo-Visma rider said of Cosnefroy. 

"Unfortunately, Christophe just missed the connection with Benoit. In the background, I gambled a bit and it didn't work out. It's a shame it didn't go our way today," he added. In the sprint he lauched it early to try and bridge across, but that has seen him then loose his podium place to Michael Matthews and Biniam Girmay. "Timing is crucial on a course like this. I probably started my sprint a little too soon. That's why some guys passed me in the last metres, so, unfortunately, I just missed the podium."

Van Aert will once again be a big contender this Sunday, at the GP de Montréal where he will have a more accurate test for the World Championships which he will be targeting. The signs are good, the Belgian says: "I felt good today. My legs felt strong... However, today's form gives me confidence in the run-up to Sunday. That will be another challenging race".