"I hope to win a stage" - Wout van Aert on expectations for Critérium du Dauphiné

Wout van Aert will be aiming high this summer, with the Tour de France's green jersey as an ambition, stage wins and also team support will be on his list for the Grand Boucle but also for the Critérium du Dauphiné which has started today.

Just off the back of a three week altitude camp together with most of the Tour de France block at Sierra Nevada, van Aert pointed out at which stage of his preparation he's at: "Because I had added Liège-Bastogne-Liège to my program and my spring lasted a week longer, I only started training too well during the training camp. But I took a good step towards an important summer and today I am reaching the level I wanted to achieve. I am where I wanted to be now," he said in an extensive interview with Wielerflits.

With the Dauphiné on the road, where he will be testing himself, opportunities will come aplenty for him to get his sprinting form dialed back in. "I want to get involved in the sprints myself. I need that incentive. And I hope to win a stage," he confirmed. "We are not going to start just to race along".

With four stages that on paper suit the sprinters, and the constant presence of hilly terrain, the Belgian champion will have plenty opportunities. The one-week race serves as preparation for the Tour, for him and the duo of Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard. “That green is allowed, but not necessary. I also don't know whether Primož wants to go for yellow. Building trust is more important. But I realize that we will be looked at," he added. 

He's also confirmed details on the post-Dauphiné camp the team will be having: "We are convinced of the added value of that extra training camp of ten or twelve days in Tignes, where we also get the chance to take our family with us."

"In addition, the team wants to let Jonas and Primož race together as much as possible. Splitting up between the Dauphiné and Switzerland is therefore not an option. But maybe it will fit later," he told regarding the reason why Jumbo-Visma put most of their cards on the table at the Dauphiné, instead of splitting the team in search of results at the equally important Tour de Suisse.