"Top 10, that's possible" - Wout van Aert's coach denies winning Tour de France is possible, but acknowledges other possibilities
Cycling
Wout van Aert is perhaps the most versatile rider in the current peloton and after a Tour de France where - until stage 18 - he's battled for time-trials, won sprint and punchy stages, dominated the points classification and acted as a crucial domestique for Jonas Vingegaard including in the mountains, the debate on whether he could do it himself emerged once again.
Wielerflits asked van Aert's coach, Marc Lamberts, about his opinion on the possibility. He explained: “If you look purely at power, Wout is just as strong as, for example, Greg Van Avermaet. And he pedals the same power as Sep Vanmarcke. But will he still achieve that power after 250 kilometers? This may be feasible in the long run, but it will take time," he said.
For the question, can Wout van Aert win the Tour de France one day, Lamberts is clear: “Top 10, that's possible. But he cannot win the Tour. Unless there are no steep uphill finishes and the Tour stays away from the high mountains... How long will he be able to settle for places of honor?”
As an almost one of a kind road rider, besides being a cyclocross superstar, many scenarios have been debated over where he could take his potential one day. With occasional performances in the mountains of all three past Tour de France editions - including his third place atop Hautacam - and his second place at last year's Tirreno-Adriatico which featured high mountains, the idea has been in the minds of many.
However Lamberts explains that a normal preparation would not be enough, as Van Aert's body composition is not that of a climber, and would have to undergo serious changes if he were ever to be in a true battle for a Grand Tour.
“There is about 0.6 watts per kilogram of body weight difference between Wout's threshold and the threshold of the best classification riders. That's a lot. Moreover, Wout has no fat reserve, so you can't get it there either," he explained. For now van Aert can enjoy his and Jumbo-Visma's incredibly successful Tour de France, where he is on his way of easily obtaining his first green jersey.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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