Nationality: Belgian
Date of Birth: September 15, 1994
Team: Jumbo-Visma
Twitter: @WoutvanAert
Wout van Aert is among the illustrious rank of riders who began their career riding the mud before transferring to the road, alongside Cadel Evans, Jakob Fuglsang, Peter Sagan and Matthieu van der Poel. Starting in cyclocross, Van Aert dominated the under-23 ranks, winning the Superprestige and World Championships, before replicating this at the senior level. For three successive years, the Belgian won the World Championship and National Championship titles.
In recent years, Van Aert has lived up to his potential as a Classics talent. He finished third in his Strade Bianche debut and 13th in his first Paris-Roubaix, both in 2018. In 2019 he want on to take third in Strade Bianche (again), second in the E3 BinckBank Classic and sixth in Milan-Ran Remo.
After a successful Classics campaign in 2019, there were high expectations for his Tour de France debut. Van Aert had already won two stages at the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Belgian National Time Trial Championships. The high expectations were met with his maiden Grand Tour stage victory in stage 10 from Saint-Flour to Albi, outsprinting Elia Viviani and Caleb Ewan.
He was also a remarkable support rider for sprinter Dylan Groenewegen, with Van Aert holding 500 watts for around five minutes during his lead-out effort on stage seven, which was eventually won by Groenewegen.
Then three stages later, he suffered a severe crash during an ITT. He was battling his compatriot Thomas De Gendt for the provisional stage lead before clipping a barrier in the final few kilometres, leading to a heavy cut to his upper leg.
The injury could have ended Van Aert's career, but after a long recovery process he returned to competition in December 2019, racing cyclocross in Loenhout and finishing fifth in his first race back. The 2019/2020 cyclocross season was an opportunity for Van Aert to return to fitness ready for a new Classics campaign, while also returning to his best on the CX circuit.
Latest
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Mathieu van der Poel takes GP de Wallonie victory in impressive showing before World Championships
Dutchman throws down gauntlet to Pogačar and Van Aert ahead of the Wollongong road race
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‘It’s always the same, the rider who wins the Tour, no one believes it’: Christophe Laporte says nothing changes with suspicion in cycling
Laporte won stage 19 at the Tour de France but says some are still quick to doubt his progress
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'Dream scenario' - Another Tour de France, another three stage wins for Wout van Aert
The Belgian proved himself as the most complete rider once again on Saturday
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'We are totally clean, every one of us' - Jonas Vingegaard defends Jumbo-Visma record at Tour de France
His teammate Wout van Aert says 'cycling has changed'
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'Perfect teamwork' takes Jonas Vingegaard one step closer to winning the Tour de France
Jumbo-Visma perform exactly to plan on stage 18 to all but secure yellow jersey for Dane
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Wout Van Aertwork - Belgian rider flying to victory immortalised in unique image
Devon-based artist, Tim Godden, captures the moment the yellow jersey gave Van Aert wings
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'It’s never easy to win a stage of the Tour de France', but Wout van Aert makes it look like it, again
Belgian wins his second stage in five days, and is dominant in the points competition already
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Why is Wout Van Aert allowed to wear a Red Bull helmet - and did he really want to show that 'the jersey gives me wings'?
The Belgian is one of just three riders in the men's peloton sponsored by the energy drink
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Dislocated shoulder for Roglič, bike swap musical chairs and yet Van Aert is still in yellow: Jumbo Visma’s big day on the cobbles
Vingegaard ended up losing just 13 seconds to Pogačar but team had a dramatic time
