"If I set my mind to something, I can suffer for one day" - Wout van Aert excels on stage 14, ripping apart the peloton

Wout van Aert excelled on an enthralling stage 14 of the 2023 Tour de France, completely ripping the peloton apart when he took to the front to set a tempo.

"I wanted to do the first part of the climb together with Wilco Kelderman and keep the pace high and when Rafal Majka came forward, I immediately knew that it was for a short shot to drop us," revealed the Belgian, Jumbo-Visma star in his post-stage interview. "I had to pass, but got motivation when I heard Majka dropped the pace. Then I wanted to show that we had the race in our hands today."

In the end, Jonas Vingegaard's advantage over Tadej Pogacar at the top of the general classification was only extended by a single second. Nevertheless, van Aert is happy with the days work.

“It was a tough ride and we wanted to make it tough for the rest. Then I am always extra motivated. If I set my mind to something, I can suffer for one day. It's not the first time I've shown this, so it's no surprise to me. I wanted to go for it and I'm happy with how we rode," he says.