"I learned from it that it is a tough course" - Wout van Aert may change tactics after women's race Netherlands ride

The Belgians enter the European Championships with a very strong lineup, however without Jasper de Buyst a meaningful loss. Wout van Aert is unsure how it will pan out but is open to different scenarios.

"I learned from it that it is a tough course. Although it is always difficult to draw conclusions from a women's race," Wout van Aert told Eurosport this morning at the start of the race in Assen. "The racing is different there. The race can also be decided at the moments between the passages over the VAM-berg." The women's race was won by the Dutch who took advantage of their numerical superiority and not too selective course.

However behind the main favourite group ended in a sprint, albeit on tough uphill gradients. The speeds will be higher in the men's race and that makes it harder to make differences in the uphill sections, whilst the dominance should not be on one team's side towards the finale. Several teams in fact come over with fast sprinters who can climb and the idea of alliances towards the finale would not be unexpected.

"It's anything but ideal. Hopefully we can still absorb that loss," van Aert said of the DNS of Jasper de Buyst just ahead of the start of the race. Arnaud de Lie also commented on a meaningful loss: "When we woke up, I thought he was still okay. But he said it was impossible to start. That's life. I think we still have a strong team," the Lotto Dstny rider said of his teammate and compatriot.