"It's great to see the fans again. These races are always special for me." 🤩 Read more about @WoutvanAert's cyclocross program in the article below! 👇
"Wout now has two sons and children need their daddy" - Family commitments behind Van Aert's reduced cyclocross calendar says sports director Jan Boven
CyclocrossThursday, 16 November 2023 at 16:00
Wout van Aert has revealed his calendar for the upcoming winter although sadly for fans of the Belgian superstar, it is much reduced compared to past years. According to Jumbo-Visma sports director Jan Boven though, there's a simple reason behind this.
“Wout didn't come out of the winter physically broken last year, that wasn't the problem. But there were points that we could improve. We have to be able to admit that last year's block was too long," he explains to Het Laatste Nieuws. "After the Cyclocross World Championships, Wout immediately went on an altitude training course and also rode the spring classics.”
With van Aert having left the Tour de France early this summer due to the impending birth of his second child, the fact he has a young family has given the Belgian a different outlook according to Boven. “It may have been less annoying a few years ago, but situations evolve," he says. "Wout now has two sons and children need their daddy every now and then. And of course, he also wants to be with his family. We all have family and we have a lot of understanding for things like that.”
There are still must-watch duals between van Aert and his arch-nemesis both on the road and in cyclocross, Mathieu van der Poel. As always, when both take part in the same race, fireworks are inevitable.
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