"It could certainly help..." - Wout van Aert sees new tough Tirreno-Adriatico stage as Milano-Sanremo preparation

Wout van Aert missed out on the victory on stage 4 of the 2026 Tirreno-Adriatico, however the Belgian showed good form. Stage 5 of the race features almost 4000 meters of climbing and although the course differs from Milano-Sanremo, Van Aert will use it as preparation for the first monument of the season so as to test his form.

The finale into Martinscuro saw Team Visma | Lease a Bike thrive in the battle for positioning into the final climb, with Timo Kielich doing a superb pull into the base and with Matteo Jorgenson controlling the climb to not only prevent attacks, but decimate the group at a pace that the Belgian could withstand.

Stage 5 will be a day better suited to the climbers, with many climbs on the menu, but whether it will be a full-on GC day or one where the puncheurs such as Van Aert or even Mathieu van der Poel stand a chance will depend on the pace set throughout the day.

“I think it is mainly for the GC contenders, because it goes up and down all day. There are a lot of steep climbs that ‘in themselves’ might just be within my capabilities. But the sequence will ensure that it might become a battle between the GC contenders alone," Van Aert said to VTM this morning.

Hence Matteo Jorgenson should be Visma's protected rider, as he shows great form and starts the day fourth in the overall classification. We could see Van Aert in a domestique role as was the case on stage 2, or perhaps having freedom to follow wheels and play his cards in the end if he has the legs.

Whilst there are 3800 meters of climbing on the day, there are no major mountains close to the finish. The ascent to Santuario de Beato Sante is 4.2 kilometers long at 6.2% and almost coincides with the finish line in Mombaroccio, which will make for a good test of form for those who are aiming for the spring classics. Besides Van Aert, both Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna have shown tremendous form thus far in this race.

For Van Aert, also preparation for Milano-Sanremo, which takes place in a matter of eight days. “It could be good training to push hard again today in preparation for next week," he admits. "You can't compare the course here to Milano - Sanremo in the slightest, that is true. There, it consists entirely of very fast climbs that aren't steep; today is the opposite. But it could certainly help.”