"Wout will immediately move up a level" - Wout van Aert set to return to the top at the Giro d'Italia 2025?

The countdown is nearly over. In just one week, the 2025 Giro d’Italia will roll out, and while Tadej Pogacar won’t be returning to defend his title, anticipation is building for what looks set to be one of the most competitive editions in recent years.

Pogacar’s absence is notable. Last year, the Slovenian produced a performance for the ages, crushing the competition to win the pink jersey by nearly ten minutes in what many now consider one of the most dominant seasons in cycling history.

This year, the race will take on a different dynamic. In place of Pogacar’s overwhelming presence is a stacked field featuring Primoz Roglic, Juan Ayuso, Simon and Adam Yates, and for the first time, Wout van Aert.

The Belgian powerhouse has previously won stages and worn leader’s jerseys at both the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, but the Giro has always remained just out of reach for his program. That changes in 2025, as Van Aert finally lines up for Italy’s Grand Tour. The big question now is: can he make an impact in pink?

The cycling world is desperate to see the Van Aert from the 2022 Tour de France return, but can this happen this month?

His lead-up to the race has been steady rather than spectacular. Still working his way back to top form after a crash-marred 2024, Van Aert’s spring campaign saw him finish fourth in a trio of major races—Flanders, Roubaix, and Amstel Gold—while Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar dominated the headlines.

As Jan Bakelants told Sporza, consistency isn’t the same as victory, "If you finish 4th in a classic for 3 Sundays in a row, you haven't broken away," he said. "But of course the bar is set very high and Wout also sets the bar very high himself."

Despite the lack of podiums, Bakelants (who trains with Van Aert) sensed a shift in his mindset after Amstel, "Wout was delighted with that 4th place in the Amstel Gold Race. That was quite a boost. It was also the only time he went home with the feeling that he could have achieved more."

That boost could come just in time. With a versatile route and fewer clear favourites than last year, the Giro could play perfectly into Van Aert’s hands "I think Wout will immediately move up a level in the Giro peloton. He could ride a very good Giro and be one of the most dominant riders.”