"I honestly don't care about the hierarchy on paper" - Wout van Aert won't let anyone dictate his expectations against Evenepoel and Pogacar at Amstel Gold Race

Wout van Aert did not race throughout much of March but instead spent three weeks training at altitude which has prepared him perfectly for the cobbled monuments. He now ends his spring campaign at Amstel Gold Race still carrying great form, and will be a contender for victory - however with Tadej Pogacar at the start line, it will always be hard for anyone to be able to contest it in the hills of Limburg.

"I honestly don't care about the hierarchy on paper. Personally, I consider myself someone who has a small chance of winning the race. When there are the two of them (he refers to Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, ed.), it's normal that for everyone else the chances are reduced".

Van Aert looked very strong at De Brabantse Pijl, however in the final sprint he was once again defeated, now by Evenepoel. In Amstel there will be a flat finale but this will not give guarantees of a victory in a group arrival, and so the Belgian may want to race aggressively as he did in Flanders.

The addition of the Cauberg to the end of the race once again is not favourable to him, he believes: "If we arrive in a small group with Remco and Tadej then probably not. But I don't think the dynamics of the race will change much, I think it will still be a race that is decided from afar," the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider argues.

"Even the nervous roads before give opportunities to those who want to dare something, so we'll see. A lot will depend on the race scenario, but I think that at least initially I'll try to follow the moves of others," he concluded. Tiesj Benoot will give a very good second card for the Dutch team to potentially put pressure on others, or even chase.