“The King thanked me on behalf of all Belgians... he said he was proud” - Wout van Aert earns royal seal of approval after historic Paris-Roubaix success

The scale of Wout van Aert’s Paris-Roubaix victory was always going to stretch far beyond the velodrome in Roubaix. In the days that followed, the reaction spilled out across Belgium, from packed village squares to viral videos of celebrations that captured just how much the win resonated.

It even reached the very top. “I was surprised when I read a message during the night that the King wanted to call me,” Van Aert revealed to Sporza, reflecting on the aftermath of his triumph. The call came from King Philippe of Belgium, marking a rare moment where sporting success crossed directly into national recognition.

What followed was not a long or elaborate exchange, but its meaning was clear. “The King thanked me on behalf of all Belgians for delivering that performance. He said he was proud.”

For a rider who has experienced the biggest stages in cycling, the moment still stood out. “I mainly listened. I didn’t really know what to say. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes I’m impressed too.”

The reaction speaks to the broader significance of the win. Paris-Roubaix is one of cycling’s defining races, but Van Aert’s victory carried added weight given the context of his career and the expectations that had built over recent seasons.

That sense of importance was reflected in the public response. Van Aert admitted he had been struck by the scale of the celebrations that followed, with supporters embracing the victory in ways that went far beyond the usual post-race reaction. “That I made so many people happy makes me happy.”

Among the many moments shared with him, one stood out in particular. “There’s one video I saved. In a village near us, supporters have had a bet running for years: if I ever won Roubaix, they would cycle naked around the church.”

Van Aert could only laugh at what that moment had sparked. “I’ve saved it on my phone. Show the video? I won’t do that to them. They’ll be shocked enough if they see this.”

Despite the scale of the celebrations, the focus has already begun to shift back to racing. Van Aert is under no illusion that one victory, even one as significant as Roubaix, cannot define the rest of his season. “I hope it works and that the Roubaix win wasn’t everything all at once. I’m still a cyclist and I still have a lot of motivation.”

That motivation is already being directed towards the coming months, with clear targets set. “From the Belgian Championships, I hope to be back in form. Especially the first weekend of the Tour is a very big goal for us as a team. If things go well there, I could be close to the yellow jersey. Those two things are definitely on my mind.”

Further ahead, the plan is equally clear. “I will ride the Vuelta as preparation for the World Championships. We’ll start there without a clear leader, but Matthew Brennan and I hope to win stages.”

Before that next phase begins, Van Aert has allowed himself a short reset. A recent bikepacking trip offered a break from structured training, even if it came with a caveat. “It wasn’t the most serious training, but I really enjoyed it.”

The return to full preparation is already scheduled. “Next week I leave for altitude training, then my preparation for the Tour really begins.”

The call from the King, the scenes across Belgium, and the stories shared in the days after the race all point to something larger than a single result.

Paris-Roubaix may be one of cycling’s most prestigious prizes, but for Van Aert, this victory has taken on a different dimension. Not just as a Monument win, but as a moment that connected with a nation.

And as the reaction from Belgium’s highest office made clear, it was a performance that did not go unnoticed.