"It is now up to us to make up for his absence as best we can" - Wout van Aert comments on Dylan van Baarle's Tour of Flanders absence
Cycling
Jumbo-Visma have revealed their lineup for the Tour of Flanders this afternoon. Noteworthy was the absence of Dylan van Baarle as the Dutchman continues to suffer from an injury sustained at Tirreno-Adriatico. Van Aert has shared his thoughts on the selection.
“It is a pity, but his health comes first. He is someone who is always one of the better ones in the longer classics such as the Tour of Flanders," van Aert told Het Nieuwsblad. Tim van Dijke was called in to replace him. “It is now up to us to make up for his absence as best we can. We have certainly proven in recent weeks that we can do that. We have a strong selection with which we can play different riders every time. I am confident that we can do the same on Sunday.”
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Winner of Paris-Roubaix and second at the Tour of Flanders last year, van Baarle was expected to be a key card as Jumbo-Visma signed him for further classics domination. He's played a role in that, soloing to victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. However in the Italian stage-race the veteran has suffered a leg injury, and has reported pain riding over the cobblestones recently.
He was sidelined from Dwars door Vlaanderen and replaced by Christophe Laporte who went on to win the race. Now he will not take part in Flanders, and the signs point towards him not being able to race Paris-Roubaix. The team will feature van Aert, Laporte, but also the likes of Tiesj Benoot and Nathan van Hooydonck who can be important for the outcome of the race.
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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.
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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)...
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