“I look more towards later in my career, in a role as a mentor, a bit like Trentin now at Tudor” - Wout van Aert discusses his future and his hopes for the latter part of his career

After finishing on the podium at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and then taking the victory at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne the very next day, it is clear that Wout van Aert is still at the very top of his game and is looking good ahead of the Spring Classics.

However, the 29-year-old has clearly given some thought to the rest of his career, as when he was asked in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad which team he would like to ride for if he were to leave Visma | Lease a Bike, Van Aert said “I find that a very difficult question. I might say something strange, but I would say a team in the Tudor or Uno-X category. Two teams with a good structure and young guys”.

On his hopes for the latter part of his career, the Belgian rider said “I look more towards later in my career, in a role as a mentor, a bit like Trentin now at Tudor. Preferably with a team where there are still possibilities, both in terms of budget and in terms of approach. That looks good there”.

The aforementioned Matteo Trentin moved to Tudor Pro Cycling at the start of the year, having spent the last three seasons with UAE Team Emirates. In response to Van Aert’s comments, the Italian rider said “that's really nice to hear. I really enjoy it and the structure at Tudor really appeals to me”.

On the structure and environment at the Swiss team, Trentin went on to say that “it is very professional, especially for a smaller team. There are still many things that could be improved and changed, but the foundation is in place. I really enjoy working, even with all those young guys”.

Although Trentin has to race for his own results, with a recent ninth place finish at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to his name, he also has a responsibility within the team to use his experience in order to help those younger riders around him to improve and develop. It will certainly be interesting to see whether Wout van Aert will be able to transition into a similar role in the years to come.