23/03/2023

"It will be a long demolition day" - Wout van Aert ready for rainy, windy and brutal E3 Saxo Classic

Wout van Aert aims very high this spring. The Tour des Flandres and Paris-Roubaix are the two races he truly hopes to win, but right behind are races such as the E3 Saxo Classic. This Friday, he and Jumbo-Visma look to deliver a blow to the competition.

With the weather looking grim all day long, it will be a difficult one to manage. “There are few resting points, and with the wind in the favor in the first part, it will not come to a standstill," the Belgian is aware. "It will be a long demolition day. Obviously we will be looked at, but we are also looking at Alpecin and UAE, of course," van Aert shared in an interview with Sporza.

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The climbs will largely be the same as those ridden in the Tour des Flandres. A perfect preparation race, Jumbo-Visma also have Dylan van Baarle, Christophe Laporte, Tiesj Benoot and Nathan van Hooydonck in their lineup - all riders who proved their form and tactics extensively on the Opening Weekend where the team dominated dominated both race.

The pressure on van Aert however is quite high. He will seek individual success, not only collective. Belgian media also sees his wins as a reponsibility. “I don't mind that anymore. I believe I can be at the start of the Ronde a few more times with my best legs," he responds. "And then things will go well. People expect me to win the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. But that's also a compliment. I work very hard for that too. So that makes sense.”

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On the climbs van Aert may struggle with the expected attacks of Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar. However, even if it comes to a sprint van Aert is aware of the danger of Pogacar. “I was with him and he wasn't slow anyway," he says regarding his sprint.

What could happen is an alliance between several teams against Jumbo-Visma, who should be the strongest team on the day. Both UAE Team Emirates and Alpecin-Deceuninck are seen as the main competition. "An entente between those two teams? Then I wonder how they will distribute the prizes," he concludes.