"We can only speak about Van Aert" - Vuelta signals Visma rider's emergence as World Championships contender for Belgium
Cycling
Wout van Aert is two weeks out from the World Championships, and judging by his Vuelta a Espana performances, he can only be considered a contender for victory in Montreal on September 27th.
Just two weeks out from the rainbow jersey race, the Belgian wraps up his Vuelta as he chases a third stage win with the green jersey already in the bag and an arguably more impressive run in the mountain jersey classification saw just miss out on stage 20.
The Visma rider has helped Matthew Brennan take five victories, and could well once again give him the rub to help him take a sixth. However, with short cobbled climbs in a city circuit, the Paris Roubaix winner will have flashbacks to the 2025 Tour de France where he left Tadej Pogacar in his wake to take a Champs Elysees victory.
But looking further ahead, Jose De Cauwer saw a rider fine-tuning his preparations for Montreal in competing for the sprints and mountain sprints, demonstrating remarkable form ahead of the rainbow jersey race.
"I would have grown quietly, like Landa, but Wout is old and wise enough and has enough people around him to say: this is still good, you aren't wringing yourself out. We assume that it is good for him," De Cauwer told Sproza.
Wout van Aert on Stage 19 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana
Van Aert the true World Championships contender at the Vuelta
"Thibau Nys is a bit of a doubtful case. The rest are fine. Due to Pogacar's withdrawal, we can only speak about Van Aert, who was present here as a candidate for the world championship."
Van Aert is part of a Belgian line-up also headlined by Remco Evenepoel as Belgium come into the race with two major cards to play. With an eight rider team, Tiesj Benoot, Florian Vermeersch, Maxim van Gils, Alec Segaert, Quinten Hermans and Thibau Nys make up their selection for the road race.
The Vuelta served as a reminder that anything can happen in cycling, pointing to Tadej Pogacar's unfortunate crash, safety is the most important thing for riders.
De Cauwer has high praise for Enric Mas
That doesn't take away from Enric Mas's excellent Vuelta, controlling the red jersey race in the wake of Pogacar's exit and making the race an exciting prospect in the final two weeks.
"You see that you always have to take something into account, all the things that can happen in a career. For me, it is a plea to put safety first.
"Partly due to Pogacar's withdrawal, Mas is able to do this, but it is to his credit that he finishes ahead of Roglic and Gall. Despite Pogacar's withdrawal, I think it has been a great Vuelta."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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