"Wout scouted the final in Italy and ridden Strade several times” – Visma rejoice after perfect Giro stage 9 for Van Aert and Yates

Stage 9 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia was a day to remember for Wout van Aert and Team Visma | Lease a Bike. On the iconic white roads of Tuscany and across the cobbled finish in Siena’s Piazza del Campo, the Belgian claimed his 50th career victory, a long-awaited moment that capped off a turbulent start to his season.

Van Aert, who had gone winless in 2025 despite strong rides, including fourth place at both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, and runner-up finishes at Brabantse Pijl and Amstel Gold Race, finally stood on the top step of the podium again. It was a fitting stage for such a milestone, evoking memories of his breakthrough performance at the 2018 Strade Bianche and his triumph there two years later.

Initially, Van Aert appeared to be riding in support of teammate Simon Yates. But with 50km remaining, he surged forward and joined a select group that included Egan Bernal, Thymen Arensman, Brandon Rivera, and Isaac del Toro. The race came down to a thrilling head-to-head battle between Van Aert and Del Toro, with the Belgian eventually prevailing after digging deep on the brutal 16% slopes of the Via Santa Caterina.

On the final climb, Van Aert went to the absolute limit to stay on Del Toro’s wheel. But once he did, he seized his moment, coming out of the final corner first and holding off the young Mexican to take his first win of the year. Yates crossed the line in fifth, rounding out a superb day for the team. And boy how they needed it.

The win also completed Van Aert’s collection of Grand Tour stage victories, with previous wins at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España already under his belt.

Speaking to IDLProCycling.com, Team Visma | Lease a Bike sports director Marc Reef shared insight into Van Aert’s mindset over the weekend.

“Wout was very determined to get into the breakaway yesterday (Saturday); he put too much energy into it, not how he normally would. He wanted it, and when you want something too much, you sometimes try too hard to stay with the group,” Reef said.

“You try to motivate him; tell him to stick to that wheel. But Wout is so good that he knows what to do,” he continued. “At the top of that last climb in Siena, he knew there was one chance to make the move; he had 150 meters to do it."

And so it happened. Van Aert, using his knowledge of the finale from previous races, found just enough power on the flat to pass Del Toro. “Wout scouted the final in Italy and ridden Strade several times. So he knew exactly how to deal with it,” Reef explained.

Reflecting on Van Aert’s journey to this point, Reef added: “This is a fantastic result. It shows what a champion he is because it hasn't been easy after his crash in the Vuelta, having to come back again, the classics that at times – despite him being there – didn't go quite as he would have liked..."

"He's showing his greatest strength: always coming back after a setback. He's shown that again here because his preparation was very difficult. It was a real struggle for him up to stage 5, where he sometimes couldn't even do his job on a flat stage. But from that moment on, things got better every day. On day 6, the good feeling returned a little, although we certainly didn't expect it."

In a team press release, Van Aert himself shared just how much the win meant to him.

“This win means so much to me,” said the Belgian afterwards. “I don’t need to tell people how hard I’ve worked to get back to this level. It’s been a long journey over the past few months. This is more than just a victory—it’s the result of months of hard work. At times during the race, I was really struggling. Isaac rode an incredible race, and I want to congratulate him for that. I knew I had to come out of the final corner in first position, and I managed to do just that.”

“It’s extra special to take the win right here,” he added. “This is where it all started for me in the 2018 Strade Bianche. It’s where I first showed what I could do at the highest level. Two years later, I won Strade Bianche. So this is a beautiful place to take a stage win. It feels really, really good.”

There was also cause for optimism regarding Simon Yates, who now sits sixth overall. Reef praised the British rider’s consistency and tactical awareness:

“Simon has been where he needs to be throughout the Giro. That's his quality: he watches from the background and doesn't immediately push to the front. But as a team, we were the first to turn onto the first section, the most important point of the day. He did that fantastically well."

“The results show us a lot, but a first uphill finish like Friday's is always slightly different, with only 3 kilometers to go. We can see that he is calm, confident, and feeling good. That's important with what's coming up, also for Wout. But let's enjoy this first because it was a difficult first week. Then we'll look ahead.”