Wout Van Aert holds it no secret that the late part of his season will include, besides Vuelta a Espana, gravel. In fact, he might get himself covered in mud before the cyclocross season even begins.
Taking place this weekend will be the Belgian gravel Championships with Van Aert as the main star taking to the start.
And even though the exact course is kept a secret at this point, Van Aert, who lives in the area, has a very good idea about the organizers' intentions for this Sunday and thus set out for a recon ride of the most likely to-be-used trails.
During his reconnaissance yesterday, he has been accompanied by regular training partners Daan Soete and Jan Bakelants.
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"The Grobbendonk course holds no secrets for the Kempen natives," Soete added on Instagram, where you can already catch a glimpse of the technical course in the wheel of 'WVA' and co.
"No expense spared in the Bakelants corner," Van Aert himself mysteriously titled his Strava activity.
Nothing less than a title will count
The Belgian makes it clear that anything other than being awarded the tricolor jersey at the end of tomorrow's race would be considered a failure. His rivals have been warned, for he also picked up a few KOMs along the way.
The 31-year-old is definitely hungry for more victories after his three stage wins and GC triumph at the Tour of Denmark two weeks prior. Before the Vuelta, winning a national title could provide the final touch of good mood in Van Aert's preparation.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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