“Wout van Aert has a problem with what lies ahead” – Italian cycling legend warns Visma star’s dream of winning Flanders and Roubaix is over
Cycling
Italian cycling icon Francesco Moser has cast serious doubt over Wout van Aert’s chances of ever winning the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix, suggesting that the Belgian may now be outgunned in the decisive moments that define cycling’s most unforgiving one-day races.
Speaking in conversation with Het Laatste Nieuws, the former world champion questioned whether Van Aert still possesses the race-winning punch needed to overcome the elite group of challengers who have consistently denied him Monument glory.
“I’m afraid not. His opponents are too strong,” Moser said in conversation with HLN, when asked whether the Team Visma | Lease a Bike star can still realistically target the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. He referenced the Belgian’s Tour de France stage win as an isolated high point rather than evidence of ongoing top-end form, adding: “That Tour stage in Paris was a very beautiful win, but he has clearly become less performant.”
According to Moser, the issue is no longer just missed opportunities or bad luck, but the simple competitive reality of repeatedly facing multiple champions who are currently sharper in the final decisive phase of races. “If three or four champions keep getting the better of you time after time, then you have a problem with what lies ahead.”
From Van Aert to the entire peloton — “modern cycling is a risk-loaded battlefield”
Moser stressed that Van Aert’s struggles cannot be viewed in isolation. Instead, he believes they are symptomatic of a deeper and more dangerous shift in the sport’s competitive DNA, with riders being pushed into extreme tactical risk long before the final hour of racing.
He noted that what once resembled controlled chess now resembles a rolling gamble, where positioning battles and relentless acceleration begin far from the finish rather than inside the final ten kilometres. “Riders of today take bags full of risks, even 60 kilometres from the finish.”
Moser also highlighted the role of race radio and directorial pressure from the team cars, suggesting that riders are often urged into high-risk moves rather than allowed to manage their own effort and instincts.
Chaotic finales, TV-driven spectacle and rising consequences
Moser believes that modern finales no longer resemble the tactical precision of his era, but a physical and positional storm where victory is no longer dictated solely by strength and timing. “At the finish it turns into a complete casino. They charge forward like ruthless gladiators to reach the front rows, where there is then no room.”
He continued by suggesting that race organisers and television broadcasters now play an influential role in designing routes and race dynamics with entertainment in mind, increasing spectacle but reducing rider safety margins.
Moser warned that, although this shift affects the entire peloton, established stars who still chase career-defining victories — such as Van Aert — may feel the pressure and consequences most intensely.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- JV is really slighting himself with not doing the 1 dayers.. 🤷
leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
- and another no-news article around the ‚2 tokyo jogging rounds‘ headline, this time spiced with some days old ‚news‘ that the LA and japan vacation trips come during or after the tdf route release. i am getting more and more annoyed by this time-stealing no-news crap. but who am i to complain? nobody forces me to come back for more ‚news‘ day after day …Ketterechts02-11-2026
- It would likely be a very steep section of 4.1 km, not changing the average gradient considerably, with the climb remaining 10.1 km at 11.8%. It would reach 20% on the gravel. It would start 1.6 km in, and finish with 4.2 km left to climb (before the short final descent)
Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026 - Welcome to the off-season.
santiagobenites02-11-2026 - guillaume martin in this list is quite a surprise as a gc rider.Ketterechts02-11-2026
- Who cares what Bruyneel thinks. He and his best mate Lance, the biggest fraud in the history of sport, have no place commenting on anything but how to lie and cheat!whit2pet02-11-2026
- Eeesh!Lozza02-11-2026
- bravo! a rider likes jonas needs motivation and he needs to believe in being able to reach goals. he - like anybody else in the world - doesn't believe that he can win the tdf with pogi present. and what's it worth for when pogi is not there? second class victory only. he has checked all three grand tours, so what is left if not retire? the classics! go for it, jonas!Ketterechts02-11-2026
- i am sure that under the pretext of medical examination a lot worse has happened when they were under.abstractengineer02-11-2026
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