Handing Classics win to Christophe Laporte secured Wout van Aert undying loyalty of key Flanders lieutenant

After Gent-Wevelgem collaboration, Laporte will bury himself in a cloud of dust in service of Van Aert next Sunday

Christophe Laporte and Wout van Aert exchange a few words on the way to the Gent-Wevelgem finish
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Throughout the 1990’s as they dominated the Classics scene across Europe, the Belgian Mapei superteam epitomised their Latin ethos of Vincere Insieme as they swept up victories left right and centre from a handful of different riders. 

Translated to English, it means to win together, and more than a decade later Jumbo-Visma are repeating their same Classics dominance, but under a different phrase with a similar meaning, Samen Winnen, winning together.

Wout van Aert’s willingness to sacrifice his own ambitions for those of his teammate Christophe Laporte at Gent-Wevelgem lived and breathed that ideology. It was a continuation of Jumbo-Visma’s collectivism which has already brought them huge success this spring

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Tom Thewlis

Tom joined Cycling Weekly in early 2022 and his news stories, rider interviews and features appear both online and in the magazine. 


He has reported from some of professional cycling's biggest events and races including the Tour de France and the recent Glasgow World Championships. He has also covered races elsewhere across the world and interviewed some of the biggest stars in the sport including Tom Pidcock, Wout van Aert, Primož Roglič and Lizzie Deignan. 


When not writing news scoops from the WorldTour, or covering stories from elsewhere in the domestic professional scene, he reports on goings on at bike shops up and down the UK, where he is based when not out on the road at races. He has also appeared on the Radio Cycling podcast.