Wout van Aert deposits full confidence in Jonas Vingegaard: "We saw the leader we know again"

Wout van Aert is undergoing this Tour de France in a domestique role and yesterday on the race's gravel stage where he supported Jonas Vingegaard in what was a massive collective performance. The Belgian rider is confident that he is part of a team that can conquer the Tour for a third year in a row; but also talks about his own ambitions in the race and Olympic Games.

"I am satisfied after yesterday's stage, because we achieved our goal as a team and on a personal level because I felt good and was able to contribute," van Aert told Het Laatste Nieuws. "But there is a difference between really fighting for the victory and the work I did yesterday. I have ridden the Tour often enough to know how good you have to be to win a stage. I had high hopes for that after the first weekend, but the past few days were quite difficult for me and I didn't have that feeling. So I decided to take it easier."

Van Aert was dropped several times but returned to the peloton as well on many occasions to provide some more support for Visma who spent large kilometers in the head of the peloton, in and out of the difficult sectors. His support was key in the end, as Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel's attacks were very serious and at times showed cracks in Vingegaard's armor. At the end of the day, there were no differences among the big favourites, a victory day for the team that feared losses in terrain more favourable to it's rivals.

"We came here with doubts. In the first weekend we saw the leader we know again. That gave us confidence. In all stages we limited the losses and kept Jonas with his opponents. We can be satisfied," van Aert states.

He is asked about his own ambitions of winning a stage. He has tried, coming close on the first day where the breakaway succeeded, but also participating in some bunch sprints in search of something he hasn't obtained since 2022. "That has always been the goal. Hopefully that will happen in the second week. The week in the Pyrenees will be very tough."

"I am more anxious in the peloton now. Certainly further from the finish, when there is not much adrenaline. Then I try to avoid risks more. That is different than before," he adds, before telling his plans for the rest day. "I'm going to try to rest as best I can. I'm very happy that I can be present at Jonas' press conference. We're going to go cycling for a while, and later I'll spend some time with the family."

As for the Olympic Games, the Belgian is realistic on his chances for the time-trial event, after he struggled against the clock a few days ago at the Tour. "I'm not a favorite there. I wasn't, and I can't get into that role anymore. It's a thirty-kilometer time trial in Paris, for which I'm super motivated. But it will be very difficult to win a medal there."

He also commented on the speculation that he would abandon the Tour early which was said by Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout himsel. "I was a bit surprised to read that, because that was never discussed with Sven. It was always the intention to finish the Tour. I really need this race to find myself again," van Aert dismissed the statement of his coach.