Wout van Aert was one of the favourites to take the stage win today, and after beating most specialists including Filippo Ganna his win seemed almost certain. It wasn't until Yves Lampaert crossed the line that the Jumbo-Visma rider saw the yellow jersey fly away from his shoulders.
“Obviously I came to win," van Aert said after the finish. "I had the fastest time at the finish, I had already beaten some nice names. Yes, but you don't buy anything for that. It would also be very silly to say that it is due to the circumstances.
In a day marked by the rain, the former Belgian national champion didn't see it as a decisive factor as he detailed what he saw: "I think everyone has definitely ridden on wet roads so far, so I think Yves just rode faster," he added.
"I actually thought Yves was the last specialist, on paper, but I just wanted to wait until everyone had ridden. That was apparently with good reason, chapeau to Yves," van Aert added. His compatriot took four seconds on him at the line, and consequently the stage win.
With this second place, van Aert also seemed to not suffer any issues with his slightly injured knee, a good sign of what's to come for the coming weeks. “Yes, I do. I don't think I was going too fast in the corners, but I had good lines. I have nothing to blame. It went forward. For now I have the second time, which also proves that I rode fast," he concluded.
Despite the near-miss, he's taken important points for the green jersey - which he will be wearing tomorrow - and also is within a real possibility of pulling on yellow in the upcoming days.
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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🇫🇷 #TDF2022 Solid start of the Tour! 👊🏻🐝
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