“My son raced alongside Wout today” Michael Goolaerts’ parents in tears after Van Aert’s victory at Roubaix

At the Roubaix velodrome, as Team Visma | Lease a Bike, Wout van Aert pointed skyward on the line, the gesture carried weight far beyond victory. It was for Michael Goolaerts.

Goolaerts was just 23 when he lined up for his first Paris-Roubaix in 2018 with Vérandas Willems-Crelan. His race ended on the second cobbled sector after a heavy crash. Inside the team car, it was immediately clear something was terribly wrong. He was taken to hospital in cardiac arrest.

Van Aert, then his teammate, rode on to finish 13th in an edition won by Peter Sagan, but the result barely registered. The shock of that day left a mark on the peloton - and especially on those closest to Goolaerts.

Eight years on, the promise made in the aftermath finally came full circle. Van Aert’s victory in Roubaix was more than a Monument triumph, it was a dedication. #AllForGoodie.

After the finish, emotions broke through. “I’ve waited eight years to be able to do this,” he said.

“I often think about him and about that day. I got goosebumps when I passed his memorial. My parents go there every year to lay flowers.”

Among those watching were Staf and Marianne, Goolaerts’ parents. The victory and Van Aert’s words hit hard.

“It’s overwhelming,” Staf told Sporza. “Since Michael’s death, I usually don’t watch cycling. It hurts too much, especially because these were his races. I try to keep some distance.”

By chance, he caught the finale on the radio. “I had just come back from visiting my mother and heard that Wout had a chance to win. I stayed in the driveway listening. I heard his first interview — the tears were already there.”

Inside, his wife was watching on television. Together, they listened again. “Wonderful” he said.

That Goolaerts remains so present in Van Aert’s thoughts, and among his former teammates, continues to move the family.

“I still message some of the boys from time to time, including Wout. He always replies within minutes. But I don’t want to bother him or confront him with our pain. Racing with that weight…”

Van Aert’s vow had never faded, even as bad luck repeatedly intervened.

“He always said he would win Roubaix for Michael. After so many setbacks, punctures, crashes, we started to lose hope. And then Tadej Pogacar also targets the race… it’s not easy to beat him. But this time, everything fell into place.”

For Staf, there was a sense of something more. “We’re not superstitious, but it felt like Michael was riding alongside Wout.”

The victory will now be marked in a deeply personal way. Van Aert plans to bring flowers, a gesture that will carry special meaning.

“They will have a place of honour next to Michael’s urn,” Staf said with a smile. “It’s shaped like a cobblestone. And on what would have been his 30th birthday, Wout also came here with flowers. He is always welcome.”

In the wake of the win, memories of Goolaerts have surged once more, something his parents see as both painful and precious.

“It’s heavy, but also beautiful that people still remember him. There are so many young lives lost that are quickly forgotten… Our hearts break when Antoine Demoitié isn’t mentioned at Gent-Wevelgem. We are lucky that Michael is still spoken about. Even more now.”

And if Goolaerts could have spoken on this day?

“I know what he would say to Wout,” Staf said, voice breaking. “Mercikes. To everyone, thank you.”