"There was a real chance to take the pink jersey today, and I didn’t manage it" - Disappointment prevails for Wout van Aert after Giro d'Italia TT

After coming so close to the win on the opening stage of the 2025 Giro d'Italia, big things were expected of Wout van Aert in the stage 2 individual time trial, with some even predicting that the Belgian would move into the Pink Jersey. Sadly for the Team Visma | Lease a Bike star however, these predictions proved well wide of the mark.

Very disappointingly, Van Aert could only muster up a 34th placed finish against the clock, crossing the 39 seconds slower than the stage winner Joshua Tarling. As a result, far from enjoying the celebrations of moving into the Maglia Rosa, Van Aert now finds himself outside the top 10 in the general classification of the Italian Grand Tour.

"I gave it everything I had, but I felt I lacked the power to pick up speed again after the corners. That was crucial in this time trial," Van Aert reflected honestly in his immediate post-race interview with VTM Nieuws after crossing the finish line. "After two or three kilometres, I could already feel it was going to be a tough ride."

There's been a lot of talk about illness surrounding Van Aert heading into this Giro, but the Belgian himself is keen to not use that as an excuse for the lack of power on display in this performance. "Was my less-than-ideal preparation a factor? I honestly don't know. It wasn’t on my mind today. And ultimately, it doesn’t matter," he concludes. "There was a real chance to take the pink jersey today, and I didn’t manage it. The disappointment is definitely there."