"I just had nothing left in the sprint. Remco Evenepoel really broke me" - Wout van Aert makes no excuse as Brabantse Pijl close call ensure wait for win goes on
CyclingSaturday, 19 April 2025 at 09:20
Wout van Aert's wait for a win in 2025 goes on. The Belgian came up just short at Brabantse Pijl 2025, losing out to compatriot Remco Evenepoel on the his return to racing in a thrilling two-up sprint for the line on Friday afternoon.
Although the disappointment was obvious after yet another close call, Van Aert was not looking to make excuses afterwards, instead opting to praise his fellow Belgian, who was making his first appearance in the peloton of the season. “Of course, I would’ve preferred to win - especially in this situation,” Van Aert said honestly in his post-race interview after crossing the line. “But I just had nothing left in the sprint. Remco really broke me in that final hour; even just staying on his wheel was a struggle. He deserved the win. That’s why I’m not too disappointed - he was simply the stronger rider today.”
Is there a real cause for concern when it comes to Van Aert's sprint though? This is far from the first time this season that the Team Visma | Lease a Bike star, who don't forget has won numerous Grand Tour sprints, has been beaten by riders you'd always expect him to finish faster than. “I wish I had an answer to why my sprint hasn’t been coming together in races," admits Van Aert in conclusion. "The only explanation I have for today is that I suffered a lot and was already over my limit before the sprint even started.”
The positive for Van Aert and Visma however, is that surely, if he keeps knocking on the door of a win in this manner, it can't be to long before he finally gets it right in the finale and with the Amstel Gold Race and the Giro d'Italia coming up for the 30-year-old, there is still hope of big wins this year.
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Remco Evenepoel qui tape Wout Van Aert dans un sprint à 2 non c'est fort de la part de Remco mais Wout ça m'attriste #DBP25 pic.twitter.com/Ysw1qTFRK8
— Cycling Legend (@CyclingLegend_) April 18, 2025
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- It is kind of funny. I thought he was the superior intellect??? I broke him down in less than thirty minutes. Technically, I'm not going to dox him, and Lompoc, Ca is too far away for me to pay him a visit, which I wouldn't do anyway. I've made a screenshot of every outrageous thing he's said in case he keeps going and then I'll let the popo pay him a visit at work. Internet tough guys make me laugh, LOL! Ok, let's get back to the Giro.awp17-05-2025
- This is getting funny, c’mon bring it on, try to get further than Zuck vs. Musk and cancel each other to help the European version of Maga according to Jumpy ;-)Mistermaumau17-05-2025
- Not directed at you: Firstly, not going to trust a list that features Jay Vibe 28mins down. Secondly why if gaining 4 seconds over 500km is devastating do we criticise a superlative when Reusser gets ejected 20 seconds over 1km? Thirdly, is Matxin happy to tacitly leave his remaining riders to fight each other at the expense of team structure? I think yes. There’s a cat and there are mice and they can do what they like as long as the cat is away. I’m pretty sure the « selfish « attitude of Ayo is partly due to encouragement, after all, has anyone heard or witnessed him getting disciplined for any initiatives? It’s a little easy and cheap to focus attitude criticism on riders alone, there’s more to it.Mistermaumau17-05-2025
- Thank you for the negative comment Loren. Yes, I know your name, address, phone number, both email addresses, yahoo and gmail. Keep making threats and lets see how quickly we can get you over to see bubba.awp17-05-2025
- And Loren, don't f$ck with me or I will own you tomorrow. Publics ip's are a bi$ch...awp17-05-2025
- Yes I did. You're an armchair cyclist whose a$$ never hits the saddle, if I hadn't broken my ankle in February I'd be over 5,000 miles for the year. You are weak in intellect, weak in words and weak in intent just like all of your pathetic, marxist, lunatic brethren, all you know is violence, it will lead you to where you belong soon enough. Bubba will bend you over everyday, you know that's what you really want. Admit it loser...awp17-05-2025
- As a sane, liberal American, I absolutely agree with this statement.verve82517-05-2025
- But I can buy you 1,000 times over c$cksuc@erawp17-05-2025
- Yes, you're a right-wing a$$hole. No, you didn't do 120 miles today: you're a terrible liar, just like your hero Trump. I rode 86 miles with 9300' of climbing. Again, please just spare us and kill yourself. Thanks.verve82517-05-2025
- As always, you're wrong and embarrassingly dumb. I and all of my friends are left of Marx. You, on the other hand, are simply and ill-advised a$$hole.verve82517-05-2025
I'm sure in the Giro you will be brilliant... (maybe fight for GC? this Giro is soft).
I can't wait! I will go to watch and cheer for you!
I watched the last 40k. Wout's body lanquage spoke volumes. In the last 10k. Remco was nose breathing. Wouts jaw was dropping with his mouth wide open he was just hanging on. He made a good fist of disguising it and taking turns, you could see that he was tiring. This will do him good, he will come good I'm sure. It's getting harder and harder though with Pogagar and Evenpoel around.
More and more guys to share the spoils, of which he didn’t get many when he had a better chance. Looks thinner. I hope he enjoys battling for the Giro, maybe good for him to focus on a different kind of goal.
Maybe his knee injury and subsequent power loss on that leg. Otherwise, there is no reason why Wout can't score a win this season.