OPINION | Wout van Aert’s Giro d’Italia Stage 1 heartbreak is a positive

The Giro d’Italia kicked off today in spectacular fashion, and as ever, Wout van Aert was at the centre of the action. After battling illness in recent weeks, the Belgian came heartbreakingly close to a fairytale debut stage win, only to be edged out in a photo finish by Mads Pedersen.

The Dane, expertly led out by Mathias Vacek, claimed both the stage and the maglia rosa, while Van Aert was forced to settle for second. But despite the disappointment, this is a result that should excite rather than deflate, especially if we take a look at previous years.

Van Aert is still searching for his first win of the 2025 season. It’s now May, and the drought continues, an unusual statistic for a rider of his calibre. He has come agonisingly close on numerous occasions this spring, but keeps missing out on the line. Stage 1 of the Giro was the latest in a string of near-misses, as Orluis Aular completed the podium in third, while Van Aert was once again left just short.

Yet, in my opinion, the signs remain overwhelmingly positive.

To understand why, we only have to look back at two of Van Aert’s greatest Grand Tour campaigns, the 2022 Tour de France and the 2024 Vuelta a Espana. In both races, Van Aert began with near-misses before going on to dominate the headlines.

Take the 2024 Vuelta. Van Aert arrived as the overwhelming favourite for the red jersey on stage 1, only for Brandon McNulty to beat him by three seconds. The disappointment didn’t end there. On stage 2, Kaden Groves outmuscled him in the sprint. Two stages, two narrow defeats. But rather than crumbling, Van Aert responded.

He broke his winless streak in emphatic fashion on stage 3, finally securing his first Vuelta stage and taking the green jersey from Groves. From that point on, he was the star of the show. He added victories on stage 7 and stage 10, and had it not been for his horrible crash on stage 16, he may well have pushed for more. Three stage wins, a spell in red jersey, and status as the race’s most visible rider, all after missing out at the start.

The pattern was the same at the 2022 Tour de France, which arguably featured the best version of Van Aert we’ve ever seen. He started the Tour with three second-place finishes in the three opening stages in Denmark, close, but not enough. Yet his consistency meant he pulled on both the yellow and green jerseys as the race entered France.

Then came stage 4. On paper, it was a stage for the sprinters, but Van Aert and Visma had other plans. With 10 kilometres to go, they attacked on the climb up the Côte du Cap Blanc-Nez. Van Aert went solo at the summit and never looked back, riding clear for an iconic win and celebrating with his arms outstretched like a bird in flight.

He wasn’t done there. He also won stage 8 and then the stage 20 time trial. Crucially, he played a pivotal role in helping Jonas Vingegaard win the overall title. A Grand Tour that started with frustration turned into a career-defining success, and we will always remember Van Aert’s ‘wings’ on stage 4.

So when Van Aert finishes second on the opening stage of a Grand Tour, history suggests we shouldn’t be discouraged, we should be on alert. It usually means something big is coming.

Yes, it’s true that Van Aert has had a slow start to 2025. But this is not entirely new. In 2024, he also opened the season quietly. He finished 10th at the Clasica de America and 45th at Clasica Jaén. His first win of the year didn’t come until stage 3 of the Volta ao Algarve, his fifth race of the season. 2023 was even more patient. His first victory didn’t arrive until March 24th, when he won the E3 Saxo Classic. Contrast that with 2022, when he opened his account by winning Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and that result set the tone for a barnstorming season.

The lesson here? Van Aert doesn’t need a flying start to have a spectacular year. His best seasons have been built on form that peaks during stage races and Grand Tours, exactly where we are now.

Stage 1 of the Giro may not have delivered the win he craves, but it provided further proof that Van Aert is close. Very close.

His spring campaign reads like a frustratingly repetitive script: just off the mark, time and again. Fourth at the Tour of Flanders, fourth at Paris-Roubaix, fourth at Amstel Gold, second at Dwars door Vlaanderen, second at Brabantse Pijl. And now second on stage 1 of the Giro. So close, yet so far, but the signs of top form are unmistakable. For a rider battling illness in the lead-up to the race, today’s result shows that the legs are coming around.

It’s also worth noting what this stage would have meant for Van Aert. Not just his Giro debut, not just a return from illness, but the chance to finally win in all three Grand Tours. That box remains unticked, but the desire to check it is clear. Van Aert thrives on big goals, and he’s certainly not just here to make up the numbers.

And importantly, he’s not alone. Team Visma | Lease a Bike executed their plan with intent today, and Van Aert had the support he needed. The difference came down to margins, not tactics, not form, not desire.

Sometimes, especially in cycling, timing is everything. And Wout van Aert’s time is coming.

He may not have claimed pink today, but he is back on the biggest stage, contesting the biggest sprints, at the start of a three-week race. Based on his own history, we’d be foolish to bet against what comes next.

If past Grand Tours are any indication, a narrow miss for Van Aert on stage 1 is the start of something special, not the end of the story.