Wout van Aert comes up short in Belgian Gravel National Championships - Visma | lease a Bike rider loses out to best friend
Cycling
Wout van Aert made his gravel return to racing just less than a week before the Vuelta a Espana, but came up short. The Visma | Lease a bike rider won't be too upset however, as he was bested by best friend Daan Soete.
The friends ripped up the championships, one of van Aert's favourite disciplines, before the Ridley Racing rider pulled away from him in the final lap to win 29 seconds ahead of the Paris Roubaix champion. Soete opened the gap with about 2.5 kilometers to go and rode solo to glory.
Before the race, van Aert stressed that the participation resembled a safer day out than training on public roads or racing in a high-speed WorldTour race such as the ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg on Sunday, favouring a pressure-free stretch of the legs just six days before the Vuelta.
Several other road riders or recently retired professionals also featured in the championships. Soudal Quick-step Devo rider Stan van Tricht finished in fourth while 2026 Tour de France multiple stage winner Tim Merlier finished in eighth. The full results can be viewed here.
Van Aert sees gravel as less dangerous than racing on roads
Ahead of the race, van Aert seemed relaxed as he spoke about his build-up to La Vuelta: “I’ve been looking forward to this day for a while,” Van Aert told Sporza before the start. “I expect a lot of supporters because you don’t often get to race this close to home.
“The most important thing today is to enjoy myself,” Van Aert said. “This race is not going to change much about my career.”
“At some point the competitive instinct will take over and you want to try to win. There are always dangers, even when you go training on public roads. I’m not afraid, but I’m not going to take unnecessary risks either.”
Wout van Aert has regularly raced on gravel
Tour de France disappointment
Reflecting on his Tour de France disappointment as he missed out following an elbow infection in June, van Aert sees the glass half full after taking three stage wins and the overall win in Denmark.
Things are looking up for the Visma man as he targets more stage wins on the roads of La Vuelta over the next three weeks.
“Missing the Tour was obviously a setback,” he said. “I needed some time to get back to a good level, but the Tour of Denmark went better than expected. Everything since then has gone well too.”
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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