"I often feel better when fatigue starts to set in" - Wout Van Aert on the rise as Vuelta progresses
CyclingFriday, 04 September 2026 at 11:30
Stage 12 of the Vuelta a España was won by Jakob Omrzel whilst Enric Mas increased his lead in the overall classification, but several other riders were happy at the end of the day with their results. Amongst them, Wout Van Aert and Santiago Buitrago who increased their leads in their respective classifications.
The day featured the Alto de Velefique and Calar Alto to finish off the day, two very difficult ascents, but featured quite a lot of rolling terrain before. Whilst Van Aert has got his green jersey virtually secured due to the lack of competition, he is still hitting out to grab more points and also work on his climbing form into the World Championships.
"It was obviously a very good day. I was at the front in a sizable group, which was a fairly economical way to pick up points in the intermediate sprint while also securing some for the King of the Mountains jersey," Van Aert said in a post-race interview.
Van Aert improving as the Vuelta moves forward
The Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider then stopped his efforts on the beginning of Velefique, saving himself for the upcoming days of the race. But there is no doubt in his mind that he is improving as the race goes moves forward.
"It was a pleasant ride and a successful day for pacing and balancing my efforts," Van Aert added. "In terms of form, I feel it's really improving during this second week. I often feel better when fatigue starts to set in within the peloton, and so far, that trend has held true. I hope we can continue this momentum".
Wout van Aert leads the points classification at the Vuelta a España
Santiago Buitrago increases KOM classification lead
On the other hand, Santiago Buitrago has increased his lead in the mountains classification. With the departure of Tadej Pogacar, the mission became more manageable for the Colombian, who is nevertheless having to mix it up with Van Aert as well outside of the longer climbs.
But Buitrago was still third at the finish in Calar Alto, whilst his teammate Omrzel grabbed the stage win. "For us, the day was absolutely perfect: the stage win, extra points for the mountains classification, and a climb up the general classification. I think we couldn't have dreamed of anything better," the Colombian said after the finish.
"I'm super happy for Jakob; he fully deserves it. He's only 20 years old and has enormous talent. On a personal level, there was a good battle with Wout for the first few mountains prizes, but everything went well, and I finish with a bit more of a lead in the overall standings tonight".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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