"The feeling was good, I could follow Mathieu, but we just fell short" - Wout van Aert encouraged despite another near miss In Flanders Fields as strong Spring continues

Wout van Aert’s aggressive approach at In Flanders Fields looked set to deliver a defining result, as he matched Mathieu van der Poel on the Kemmelberg and forced the race into a two-man move that briefly reshaped the outcome.

For a moment, the race tilted towards a direct duel between the two rivals. Instead, the peloton closed rapidly in the final kilometres, turning a winning position into a near miss. “The feeling was good, I could follow Mathieu on the final Kemmelberg. I thought we had a good chance to stay away. But we just fell short,” Van Aert said afterwards in conversation with Sporza.

Van Aert’s acceleration on the Kemmelberg was the decisive moment in forming the lead group, bringing himself, Van der Poel and Florian Vermeersch clear before the race split again under pressure.

Only Van der Poel could remain with him over the top, confirming both the strength of the move and Van Aert’s ability to match it at the key point of the race. From there, the pair committed to the effort, but the advantage never fully stabilised.

Despite good cooperation between the two leaders, the broader race situation shaped the outcome. “But Mathieu had the luxury that Philipsen was still behind him, which meant he could ride a bit more defensively towards the end.”

That underlying imbalance became more evident as the finale developed. “The cooperation with Mathieu was good, but he had the luxury that Philipsen was still behind him, which meant he could ride a bit more defensively towards the end. That was to my disadvantage and made the difference.”

With Alpecin holding a second option in the peloton, the pressure remained on Van Aert as the gap began to fall. “It was a bit expected in the finale, because the peloton was coming back quickly.”

The regrouping inside the final kilometres ended what had looked like a genuine chance to fight for victory, a moment that did not go unnoticed closer to home. “My eldest son was apparently disappointed as well,” Van Aert noted.

Despite that, Van Aert was clear in his overall assessment of the day. “I’m satisfied with how I was able to race. The result didn’t follow, but it was still a good day.”

After his podium at Milano-Sanremo and another performance at the front of the race here, the result may not yet reflect it, but the level is firmly in place as the Spring heads towards its defining races.