"Just follow and sit on the wheel" - Johan Museeuw advises Wout Van Aert not to work with Pogacar and van der Poel anymore
Cycling
Johan Museeuw is a three-time winner of the Tour of Flanders and compatriot of Wout Van Aert, Belgium's biggest card to take the win this Sunday. But doing so will not only require the very best level from him, but also luck and perhaps risky tactics.
"He withstood a challenge from Mathieu van der Poel on the Kemmelberg [...] For the past two years, he had to drop back on the Oude Kwaremont," Museeuw said on De Afspraak, as a positive sign of the Belgian's current form ahead of his first big goal of the season.
The two have followed similar paths entering the cobbled monuments, using Tirreno-Adriatico as a big stepping stone in their preparation, and both showing great legs at Milano-Sanremo. This previous Sunday, the cobbled classic provided the first real clash between the two, with both attacking the final two ascents of the Kemmelberg respectively, albeit not dropping each other.
The duo collaborated in the flat roads to the finish but could not succeed in their attack. In Museeuw's opinion, van der Poel is stronger at the moment, and Van Aert should put aside the mutual respect and refuse to work with the Dutchman if given the opportunity.
"What should he do in my opinion? Just follow and sit on the wheel. Just take advantage for a moment and beat them both at the finish line. Then Belgium will be turned upside down".
Could Wevelgem be the evidence Van Aert needed?
Doing so is very difficult, even if executed to perfection, as Tadej Pogacar should be the man to beat and his climbing level is superior to all, even in the more explosive efforts of the Flandrien bergs. But Van Aert looks better prepared than 12 months ago to take on the challenge.
"Although Van der Poel had a relatively off day, he still wanted to test how far Wout van Aert has come in terms of explosiveness. He passed that test well. It was meant to give Van Aert a boost." Dwars door Vlaanderen this Wednesday could see Van Aert take his first win of the year, which would on paper provide further confidence.
"It should give him the determination not to drop back on the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg and to win the Tour of Flanders for the first time."
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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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- Bingo...I was also going to say that young pretty women are obsessed Pogi fan girls... who are chasing him. All glossy "____" (blank) about Tadej. PS: You can all fill in the "blank" yourselves, whatever you prefer. The definition of glossy is: It looks unusually shiny, glazed over, watery, or vacant/unfocused.PogiSloFans12-11-2026
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- as we all like the david-style rebels, he will leave a gap.Ketterechts12-11-2026
- Oy, don't insult girlsHills3312-11-2026
- lol yeah. this is a good onemij12-11-2026
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- he's too young. he's 23, so not really a fair call yet.mij12-11-2026
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