Wout van Aert: "I was looking for a good goal for the end of the season and the Gravel World Championship seemed the most interesting"

Wout van Aert ends his season this weekend at the Gravel World Championships. After a week of tough racing where he's testing his form in the Italian Autumn classics, the Belgian will attempt to take one last big win on a discipline where he does not have too much experience.

“There are of course the WorldTour riders, but I also have to keep an eye on the gravel specialists. They may be less known and could provide a surprise. In these races it is complicated to keep a good overview of the course of the race, so you have to be very sharp at all times," van Aert said ahead of the race in a press release. "But if I had to mention a few names, I would say: the two Vermeerschs, the defending champions Gianni and Florian, and also Connor Swift of INEOS Grenadiers. But I'll wait and see in the coming days to see who all my competitors will be. It's going to be fun.”

The Belgian has ridden some gravel this year, and tested himself in a race situation too. “I've actually been graveling since I was a kid, when I used to do endurance rides on my cyclo-cross bike. But I only really started to appreciate it during the first corona year," he shares. "It gave me the opportunity to explore new paths during my training. I have watched the rapid rise of the discipline with great attention. This year I was looking for a good goal for the end of the season and the Gravel World Championship seemed the most interesting to me."

With his main goals on the road already completed this season, he now had the freedom to chase glory elsewhere. "That is why I asked the team for permission to ride this championship. I have already studied the course a bit online and know that there will be some difficult climbs. From Thursday I will be on location and will explore the route as best as possible, because in gravel races it is essential to know the route well," he concluded.