"Wout once asked me for advice for Milano-Sanremo - and he won!" - Oliver Naesen may have played crucial role in Wout Van Aert's 2020 Milano-Sanremo title
Cycling
Once one of the top classics riders in the world, the 34-year-old Oliver Naesen is not to be written off just yet. The experienced Belgian is always in the thick of action in the decisive moments of his favourite Flemish races and a podium is never too far off his reach.
Something he has in common with a Belgian superstar Wout van Aert, sometimes jokingly nicknamed 'Wout van Second' for his long list of runner-up results at the biggest events. But it may have been just thanks to Naesen's help that he managed to tick off at least one major box in 2019. "What I like about Wout is that he is so humble, despite the fact that he is so incredibly good," Naesen he begins at the VTM NIEUWS.
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He then brings up a nice anecdote with the Belgian all-rounder. "Wout once asked me for advice for Milano-Sanremo. Can you believe it?! Such a rider... How to approach the race, where to shoot his arrows and where not, things like that. I gave him two or three tips, and he won that race. But certainly not thanks to me."
But it's still not the same Naesen that was rolling around before the COVID outbreak in 2020. Just before all the racing had stopped, Naesen was on top of his game. Having won the Bretagne Classic twice in previous years, he seemed ready to finally secure a major title. Those who expected this success would come on cobbled hills in Flanders couldn't be more wrong because Naesen nearly snatched a victory at the Milano-Sanremo 2019, losing only to Julian Alaphilippe at the time.
And so it's natural that the Visma | Lease a Bike rider approached his Decathlon AG2R compatriot for some tips. The 34-year-old wouldn't admit any contribution on Van Aert's 2020 triumph, but perhaps his insight was what tipped the scales in Van Aert's favor in a duel against, ironically, the same rider - Julian Alaphilippe - who defeated Naesen a year earlier.
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- Exactly, my thought too. Ganna is multi-talented, but a great descender he is not. He was gapped and overtook on the descend by Pidcock last year.
KerisVroom22-03-2025 - You nailed it Mr S.Cyclingsbestfan22-03-2025
- Now everybody knows about it Mads! Compressed brocoli? I know it is supposed to be good for you, but is high on my list of least favourite vegetablesCyclingsbestfan22-03-2025
- Again Armstrong posts get so much more response than any other posts on this site, and it is you guys that are making it easy for them to post more about Armstrong. Just check over the last 6 months and you will see the response is over 10x over other posts. Stop complaining and do not post or hit the like button, you are playing right into there hands.
Senna196022-03-2025 - i realize that Tommy knows VOLUMES more about his craft than i do, and i realize he maybe wasn’t bothering to give the most highly thought out answers of all time here, BUT… if mathieu gets to the TOP of the poggio first, how exactly is it that GANNA gets to the BOTTOM ahead of him? maybe the “frame pump in the spokes” trick from Breaking Away? ganna isn’t exactly what you’d call a gifted descender, and i’ve noticed mvdp is a PRETTY DECENT bike handler at any speed, not too shabby at cornering and accelerating… I’m glad tom feels good, though. it’ll be a really fun race. (but if van der poel DOES get to the top first, it’s over.)OCexile21-03-2025
- Don't think patience is something Tadej understands, he'll go when he feels its right to goslappers6621-03-2025
- And the final answer is …….MAYBE!mobk21-03-2025
- Agreed. Am Slovenian but she's strange rider, either the terrain fully suits her and she can be a leader or she's completely useless riding at the backvappaxbipmv21-03-2025
- My thoughts as well. The constant insertion of Armstrong, Bruyneel and even Hincrapie into news stories tends to give it away.
ScottG21-03-2025 - just because others were doping doesn't really excuse what LA was doing, especially how ruthless he was towards others. Can we just stop listening to him and his pals already?Crashjames21-03-2025