“The starting point was to enjoy ourselves – now we go for the podium”: Visma DS content with Wout van Aert’s seventh in Antwerp return
Cyclocross
A seventh place on paper, but plenty of encouragement beneath the surface. That was the clear message from Team Visma | Lease a Bike sports director Jan Boven following Wout van Aert’s cyclocross return at World Cup Antwerp.
Speaking to Sporza after the race, Boven made it clear that the result itself mattered less than the signs Van Aert showed on his first major outing of the winter.
“The starting point was to enjoy ourselves and to build rhythm. That worked,” Boven said. “Now we go for the podium. Let’s grow from race to race.”
Strong signals despite bad luck in Antwerp
Van Aert’s race was shaped by a puncture at a key moment, just as the battle for the podium was taking form. Until then, the Belgian had been firmly in contention behind a dominant Mathieu van der Poel, who rode away to a clear solo victory. “We saw a good cyclo cross race,” Boven reflected. “Mathieu was strong and fast, and behind him we saw a really good battle.”
“For us, it stayed exciting until a puncture spoiled things. Wout fought his way back to within five seconds of the podium, but that was just a bit too much. In the end, I think his seventh place is a fair result.”
Confidence growing with each race
Despite the setback, the Visma camp left Antwerp with a positive feeling about Van Aert’s physical condition and trajectory.
“After two minutes, Wout already felt that he was riding on the limit,” Boven explained. “But that gives confidence for what’s to come.”
According to the sports director, the nature of the race underlined that Van Aert is already close to competitive shape, even if sharpness and race rhythm are still being rebuilt.
“A puncture is something you just can’t quite make up for,” Boven added. “But this is a good step towards the next races.”
Eyes already on Hofstade and beyond
There will be little time to wait for the next test. Van Aert lines up again on Monday in Hofstade for his second race of the season, with expectations now subtly shifting.
The message from the team is clear. Antwerp was about re entry and feeling the race intensity again. What comes next is about progression.
“First, we go for the podium,” Boven said. “Let’s grow from race to race.”
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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