"I haven't trained on the time trial bike at all” – But Wout van Aert is ready to fight in the coming days

Team Visma | Lease a Bike endured a tough day in the Tour de France time trial, with Jonas Vingegaard and Matteo Jorgenson each conceding close to 90 seconds to the top contenders. The result was a setback for the team, particularly after both riders had delivered strong time trial performances just a month ago at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Jorgenson now sits fifth overall, 1:22 behind race leader Tadej Pogacar.

Wout van Aert, meanwhile, was never in contention on the stage, by choice. "I haven't trained on the time trial bike at all lately," he told Sporza after the race. "Before the Tour, I had already planned to only go all out if I was still in a good position in the general classification. That's not the case, so I'm focusing on the coming days."

Still searching for his first stage win since 2022, van Aert acknowledged the importance of preparation in the discipline. The Belgian has had a difficult 2025 so far, but showed on the gravel on stage 9 of the Giro that he still has what it takes.

"For a specific discipline like time trials, it's important to prepare well. I don't stand a chance against the fastest riders on this course anyway, hence the choice."

His focus has now turned to the upcoming punchy road stages, as he looks to ride into better shape. "I was happy I felt better yesterday, but there's still room for improvement," he said.