"That's not true. Or I hope not" - Visma DS turns down speculations that Wout Van Aert could leave Tour early to prepare for Olympics
CyclingSaturday, 06 July 2024 at 12:27
Wout Van Aert, Remco Evenepoel, Jasper Stuyven and Tiesj Benoot are the chosen four to represent Belgium at Paris Olympics. All four are currently in action at the Tour de France and so it makes sense there are concerns about whether the workload from three weeks of racing in France won't impact their level in France just a week after the Grande Boucle concludes. Some suggest an early leave could be an option, especially for the struggling Van Aert.
Evenepoel will of course not step down voluntarily, but there is an escape clause for Van Aert and Stuyven according to Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout who told this to Sporza. "Agreements have been made with certain riders about whether it is really necessary to ride out. Whether Van Aert can choose from his team whether he will leave the Tour? Yes. And Jasper Stuyven too."
Sporza presented that statement to Frans Maassen, sports director at Visma | Lease a Bike. The Dutchman contradicts the Belgian national coach. "That's not true. Or I hope not. No, it's not true."
Van Aert should therefore finish the Tour according to his team. "Wout wants to do his tasks here. And I think he will also come out of the Tour better by finishing the Tour. That can be done occasionally with the brakes on, as he has already done."
Anyhow, he doesn't have to ride empty himself at the front every day for Jonas Vingegaard. "Wout doesn't have to go all out every day. There are certainly opportunities where he can ride for himself. Wout has to go to Nice and he wants to go too. It's not an issue."
Read also
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- He was always a great tactician. But he pushed doping on his riders from back in the CSC days big time. I read Tyler's book, it was dark...awp07-11-2024
- wow, this is a shock. this guy is a major talent on the MTB, and he just won the WC. I'm surprised he doesn't want to spend a year enjoying the rainbow jersey.mij07-11-2024
- This is true. But also, for some reason the amount of Athletes who are getting asthma related to sports is on a steady climb. Not in just cycling but around the world in seemingly every single sport. I don’t have any explanation for this. Could it be the changes in weather conditions and such compared to 20yrs ago? Or is something going on in relation to doping? I have not read enough on this to have a solid understanding or opinionmd197507-11-2024
- "Armstrong won his 7 wins. Fair and square. Doping was rampant during his time. He did was just to level the playing field" comment from KHWong. He cheated, he enticed/forced teammates to cheat, he affected other's families and tainted other's reputations, he sued those who factually accused him of cheating in their attempt to prove breach of contract, he got paid to admit to his lies. Nice guy; right? Anyone who has not been prosecuted for cheating per THEIR OWN SPORT'S RULES THAT THEY AGREE TO ABIDE BY and continues to deny in public or to themselves, and rationalizes the reasons for doing so is weak of mind and body, has no integrity or ethics and ahould find another job or form their own cycling federation where anything goes. The fans will not care if you screw up your bodies for their entertainment. Just take look at boxing and American football. Even worse when fans of the sport themselves make those rationalizations for the cheaters. There has been cheating of all types throughout the history of many sports; nearly 150 years in cycling itself since competitions started, and the gambling and revenue that came along with them. Cheat if you want, but lack any personal integrity. If that is what you to be, or want to emulate fine; but no one should expect or receive pity for a premeditated decision to cheat in any manner. You are deceiving yourself if competing, and also deceiving the fans. Cycling will soon be like "professional wrestling": choreographed and with the winner being known in advance. Oh wait; that is what already has happened this year. It has been found that many of cycling's "greats" (i.e. Coppi, Merckx, et al.) were cheating and possibly caused (did cause) one or more premature deaths in cycling. Go ahead and enjoy a sport that you cannot trust; I will not.BraneDed07-11-2024
- Remco's public pronouncements are careful and deliberate. He is laying the groundwork for an exit a year from now if his 2025 results don't match his ambition.Renz07-11-2024
- yeah, riis has been a team manager for about 20 years now. he never left the sport. most of those who got caught never did either, except for the periods of their suspensions. that includes merckx and hinault and kelly and blah blah blah, ad infinitum…OCexile07-11-2024
- Hubris. Does funny things to people.Sweep07-11-2024
- So all the old dopers are feeling like it's time to come back to pro cycling. I wonder why.Sweep07-11-2024
- Mainly things like you just listed didn't have a true "test" available to the UCI/ASO. Doping has been around as long as the TDF for the most part. Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Greg LeMond, Miguel Induráin and more all used something. Most of the time the UCI didn't have a test for it. I remember EPO being talked about 10yrs before anyone was tested in a major cycling event. Riders at times had to set alarms to wake up and ride for an hour or so at night. Why? So there blood didn't thicken and cause it to not flow correctly and kill them. Riding a bike on rollers every few hours was the only thing that they knew worked. Cycling is a dirty sport. But, we love it and the drama and amazing rides. And the riders are willing to risk everything to win. To be the best at the sportmd197507-11-2024
- Most of their sporting ventures, maybe Armorim can stop the downward spiral, for a while.Mistermaumau07-11-2024