Team Visma | Lease a Bike has not been having the best time in the cobbled classics thus far this season, and Tiesj Benoot was quite honest about the team's errors at the start of Gent Wevelgem. Particularly, what went wrong at the E3 Saxo Classic with the team and Wout van Aert.
“Personally, I certainly had good legs. We were just a bit too far in the run-up to the Taaienberg and that had major consequences for the rest of the race," the Belgian said in words to Wielerflits this morning. "We were well grouped, but just a bit too far".
"That simply has to improve, and then we will certainly have the condition to continue fighting for the victories. In addition, we should not deny that Mathieu is ‘outstanding’ at the moment. The position has to improve a bit and then you get a completely different race.”
Benoot and Visma are well used to doing it over the past few years, taking many high-level wins as well as a result, however in 2025 that is not being the case. Last year's big crashes from Wout van Aert may also certainly play a role in this difficulty to position at the crucial moments. Nevertheless, the Belgian has put full focus on the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, and there is still room for improvement.
“I notice that those extra kilometres do me good. We hadn’t raced for a long time and it’s good to include this. It’s a 250 kilometre race," Benoot said of today's race, where he and Matteo Jorgenson may have free card in the hills. "In the run-up to the Ronde van Vlaanderen, that’s something I was also very happy with last year.”
The race will also have strong winds, but ultimately the team will also keep a close eye on Olav Kooij. "It's very simple. In De Moeren (the flat section before the day's climbs, ed.) it's going to be crazy, it's going to be completely crazy. We have to be there with as many riders as possible. After the last time Kemmelberg we'll have to re-evaluate whether we can sprint with Olav [Kooij] or whether we have riders in front. I would really like to race in the hills, but then you have to be in the echelons, of course," he concluded.
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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.
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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)...
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