VIDEO | "Let’s celebrate and don’t take this for granted" - Wout van Aert & Visma teammates crack open the champagne after Vuelta a Espana stage win

For the first time in six months, Wout van Aert was able to taste the joy of victory on stage 3 of the 2024 Vuelta a Espana. Afterwards, with his Team Visma | Lease a Bike teammates, the Belgian cracked open the champagne to celebrate properly.

"Today was a special day for me," the 29-year-old addresses the room after popping open a bottle of champagne, pouring a number of glasses and handing them out to his teammates and the Team Visma | Lease a Bike staff members. "But also a special day for all of us. We came here to win a stage and we already succeeded in stage three. A good start to the race."

As mentioned, this was Van Aert's first win in six months since his success at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in February. In the time between wins, it has been far from an easy ride. A nasty crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen ending his spring and ruined plans for a Giro d'Italia debut. Although he was back in time for the Tour de France, no stage wins came and then at the Olympic Games, a bronze in the time trial ensured it wasn't a completely wasted trip to the French capital.

"Not only me, but the whole team had a year with a lot of setbacks," Van Aert continues. "Despite the fact that I sometimes didn't believe in it anymore, I felt that there was a team behind me that continued to believe in me. You have given with confidence and enormous support. So yes, more than ever this is a victory for all of you. Let's celebrate it and don't take this for granted."

See the video of Van Aert and the whole of Team Visma | Lease a Bike's team at the 2024 Vuelta a Espana celebrating the Belgian star's stage 3 success in the video down below!