The sprinters are eyeing today's stage at the Tour de
France, but the two categorised climbs along the route may shake things up, especially
for someone like Wout van Aert. He’s yet to win a stage at this year’s Tour and
hasn’t taken one since 2022. After working to support Jonas Vingegaard on the
first ascent of Mont Ventoux yesterday, questions remain about whether Van Aert
will go for it himself today.
"I'll keep my eyes peeled. As a team, we're also
looking ahead to the coming days and don't want to waste too much energy,"
Van Aert told Sporza, hinting at a cautious approach. "In an open race I
have a free role to move with, but I can't force it myself."
When asked if he’d contest the sprint, his answer was
hesitant: "Maybe. He'll be feeling tired, but it's a fast sprint with a
tailwind... Then it's difficult to beat guys like Tim Merlier, but maybe I'll
try."
At the team bus earlier, Team Visma | Lease a Bike director
Frans Maassen spoke with confidence about his rider. "I think Wout van
Aert is doing really well," he said. Still, he acknowledged the
uncertainty around how the stage will unfold. "It doesn't necessarily have
to be a sprint. It could still rain, and a breakaway could easily break away.
So it's not a given that we'll just sprint."
Maassen made it clear Van Aert will be mostly on his own
today. "Wout will have to find his way a bit. We can't all offer a lot of
help. He'll have to do his own thing a bit, but Wout is still fresh. He gave
good input in the meeting this morning."
Van Aert joked about his involvement in the pre-stage
planning. "Um... That's not so bad. I think I'm always talkative in
meetings. Today was no different."
As for the strategy? Maassen gave little away. "You'll
see that later in our documentary. I can't tell you, because the enemy is
listening, and another Belgian is the top favorite. Tim Merlier, yes. But Wout
has something in mind."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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Rafionain-Glas06-11-2026 - Thats only cause he rides for UAE. In any other team he would be captain in many races atleast. UAE is just to crazymiguel06-11-2026
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