"That was a mistake" - Wout van Aert gives it a go in chaotic Giro sprint but regrets it
CyclingFriday, 16 May 2025 at 10:01
Wout van Aert has been steadily improving during the first week of the Giro d'Italia and today he had a stage win in front of his eyes. Although the Team Visma | Lease a Bike did show good legs in the finale towards Napoli, he regrets having moved off the front in the final kilometer instead of doing the planned leadout for Olav Kooij.
It was a day where Visma avoided the bad luck that other teams couldn't, and in words to CyclingPro.net, the Belgian commented on the crash that was the unfortunate highlight of the day. "It rained for quite a long time and suddenly it was very slippery on that descent".
Jai Hindley crashed and abandoned, whilst several other big names also hit the deck after a Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe crashed at the head of the peloton and took several riders out. "Crashes like this can always happen, but I think the organization made a good choice by neutralizing it and letting everyone come back".
Then in the finale there was about half peloton moving towards the finish, and Visma took responsibility for much of the chase. Van Aert was set out to try and leadout Olav Kooij - something he didn't manage to do on stage 4 - but ultimately, what he did was different.
Likely not the planned decision, but one done under pressure after an Alpecin-Deceuninck rider moved off the front and threatened to escape with the win. Van Aert took off in pursuit without OLav Kooij in the wheel. "That was a mistake. I thought we were closer to the finish and I could have held back and brought Olav closer at the last moment".
Van Aert hung on but was brought back in time for the bunch sprint. Olav Kooij was towards the front, but ended up seeing his chances fade as he was blocked against the barriers. "I saw that he was completely boxed in and that he couldn't really do his sprint," van Aert said of his teammate. "That's a shame, because he couldn't really participate. Although Kaden Groves is also a strong guy, of course".
Wout van Aert did briefly find himself alone in the last kilometre. #DomestiqueLive #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/IDytidSnyi
— Domestique (@Domestique___) May 15, 2025
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As I alluded to early on this year, it seems mire and more obvions Wout is paying the price all of having tried to return to form too fast. He should never have trained to perform for the cyclocross WC, he’s been playing catch-up ever since. It’s like the macro version of trying to perform in a race after having gone into the red. Not blaming him, he’s obviously under far too much unhealthy outside pressure, that’s why I admire Jonas’ refusal to racing what others try to tell him to do. Look at how they treat Wout when he tries but fails to please, sad bunch of parasites.