Team Visma | Lease a Bike and Wout van Aert go in search of victory at Amstel Gold Race: “The switch from cobblestones to hilly classics should not be underestimated”
Cycling
With a spring campaign that is finally going in the right
direction, Wout van Aert appears to be finding his form just in time for the
Ardennes Classics. Following two strong fourth-place finishes at the Tour of
Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, Team Visma | Lease a Bike now shift their focus to
De Brabantse Pijl on Friday and the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday.
Van Aert is set to return to De Brabantse Pijl for the first
time in several years, taking advantage of the revised calendar.
“I'm looking forward to being back at the start of De Brabantse Pijl,” Van Aert
said in a team press release. “I didn't ride the race for several years, but
because of the calendar change, the race fits into my schedule this year. So
it’s an extra opportunity for me to ride a beautiful spring classic.”
The Belgian came close to victory in his previous appearance
at the race, “I already came close to victory once in my first and only
participation in 2021, so the course suits me,” he continued. “I feel good, so
I definitely hope to be able to play a role in the finale again. With that goal
I will be at the start.”
If van Aert does want to win the Amstel Gold this Sunday, he
will have to take on Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock. One big
name who won’t be present, is Van Aert’s nemesis Mathieu van der Poel.
Tiesj Benoot also has high hopes for the weekend and sees De
Brabantse Pijl as the ideal warm-up for Amstel, “De Brabantse Pijl is an ideal
preparation for the Amstel Gold Race. They are two beautiful races where I have
managed to achieve a few places of honor in the past. In the Amstel Gold Race,
teams usually start racing hard far from the finish line.
“I hope such a scenario will happen again. Also, the Cauberg
gets a more important role in the finale again, which can be advantageous to
the attackers. I definitely see chances for a top result with the team,
starting with De Brabantse Pijl on Friday.”
Sports director Frans Maassen, who himself won the Amstel
Gold Race in 1991, believes Van Aert is perfectly suited to the unique demands
of the Ardennes, “The Amstel Gold Race has a strong field of participants.
Where you can still really see De Brabantse Pijl as a classic that runs partly
over cobblestones, the Amstel Gold Race is all about climbing.
“The switch from cobblestones to hilly classics should not
be underestimated. That combination is reserved for only a few riders, but if
anyone can do it well, it's Wout. He has already proven that in the past,”
Maassen said.
The team is hopeful of continuing its positive momentum in
front of home fans, “It's a brilliant race. As a Dutch cycling team we ride in
front of the home crowd. Hopefully we’re able to continue the upward trend of
the last few weeks.
“Tiesj was already good in the Ardennes classics last season
and has made it a goal this year as well and really lived up to it. Hopefully
Ben Tulett can join our two leaders, so that we can show ourselves in the
finale.”
For De Brabantse Pijl, the team will line up with Wout van
Aert, Tiesj Benoot, Niklas Behrens, Daniel McLay, Tosh van der Sande, and
Julian Vermote.
At the Amstel Gold Race, Van Aert and Benoot will be joined
by Dylan van Baarle, Ben Tulett, Daniel McLay, Tosh van der Sande, and Attila
Valter as they go in search of a major victory on home soil.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment