Wout van Aert set to spring a surprise? Visma refuse to rule out last-minute E3 Saxo Classic call-up
Cycling
Wout van Aert’s spring schedule looked settled. After fighting back from a crash to finish third at Milano-Sanremo, the focus was expected to shift firmly towards recovery and preparation for the cobbled Monuments. Now, that plan may not be as fixed as it once seemed.
According to HLN, it is “not yet 100% certain” that Van Aert will skip the E3 Saxo Classic, leaving the door open to a late addition to his race programme. A final decision is expected on Wednesday morning.
Sanremo effort reshapes the discussion
Van Aert’s ride in Sanremo was already shaping the narrative heading into the Classics. After hitting the deck with around 34 kilometres to go, he was forced onto the back foot, chasing back into contention before launching a late move to secure third place. It was a performance built on resilience as much as form, and one that underlined his growing condition ahead of the key targets of the spring.
The original plan reflected that trajectory. Rather than race E3 Saxo Classic, Van Aert was scheduled to complete a focused training block, prioritising preparation for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix over additional race days.
Skipping E3 would allow for two extra training days, a deliberate choice by his coach following a similar tapering approach used before Milano-Sanremo.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike forced into rethink
However, circumstances within the team have forced a broader reassessment.
Matthew Brennan’s absence from Milano-Sanremo due to illness has disrupted Visma’s planning for the coming weeks. The young British rider had been expected to feature prominently in the upcoming races, including Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen, but his condition has introduced uncertainty. As a result, the team is now reworking its options across the entire squad.
That includes weighing up whether to add races or training blocks in the short term, depending on rider availability and condition. Within that process, Van Aert has emerged as a potential piece of the puzzle, even if only on the margins.
Wout van Aert crosses the line at Milano-Sanremo 2026
A decision imminent
Despite the speculation, sources suggest that any change to Van Aert’s programme remains unlikely. His schedule has been mapped out for months, and his strong result in Sanremo has not altered the underlying approach.
External factors may also play a role. Forecasts for E3 Saxo Classic point towards cold and wet conditions, a scenario that carries clear risks at this stage of the season.
Last year, similar weather saw Mathieu van der Poel struggle with the cold before falling ill in the lead-up to the Tour of Flanders, an outcome Van Aert and his team will be keen to avoid. Even so, the fact that Visma have not ruled out his participation entirely keeps the possibility alive.
For now, the expectation remains that Van Aert will stick to his planned path. But until that decision is confirmed, the chance of a late change continues to hover in the background.
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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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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