Wout Van Aert admits racing Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel in Flanders will be ‘difficult’

Wout van Aert is starting to prepare for the upcoming Spring Classics, having already picked up a silver medal in the world cyclo-cross championships this year. But while the Belgian is an experienced campaigner, he is well aware of just the sort of threat that both Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel pose heading onto the cobbled roads of Northern Europe.

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Wout van Aert is gearing up to start his road race season by competing at the Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior and the Volta ao Algarve, before turning his attention to the Spring Classics.

The Belgian rode well at the cyclo-cross world championships, finishing second to Mathieu van der Poel in the men’s elite race.

After a few injury niggles disrupted his 2024 season, van Aert is very much back and is a name to conjure with once the peloton heads for the cobbled roads around Belgium, the Netherlands and northern France.

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But while he will be on the list of favourites for the Monuments, the Belgian has admitted to some surprise at the schedule for some of his biggest rivals - including Tadej Pogacar, who has hinted at a Paris-Roubaix debut.

"I didn’t really curse, but I was mainly impressed by his program. Where he still takes on a lot of hay," he said, as reported by Cyclinguptodate.

"In many classics, there are still many strategies and everything is possible, of course also in the Tour of Flanders. But that is also the race that is decided by the legs.

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"I see few possible scenarios where you beat Mathieu and Pogacar, while you yourself are less strong. In my case, I would have to be at least their equal to have a chance."

As a Team Visma Lease a Bike rider, van Aert will likely spend much of his year chasing Grand Tour stage wins whilst also supporting Jonas Vingegaard, especially at the Tour de France.

But much will depend on whether van Aert can shake off those niggles, that he admits have hampered his off-season.

"I think I initially had a difficult winter, but after that, I was able to work well. I also haven't forgotten how I felt in the Vuelta a Espana.

"That knee injury was very annoying, but never of such a nature that I thought 'this is not going to be resolved'.

"In that respect, I was able to finish this winter with a certain confidence, that I can get back to my usual level."

Van Aert has had plenty of success in the Classics, having won Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche, Amstel Gold Race, Gent–Wevelgem and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to name a few.

As for Flanders, it was Pogacar who won in infamous style in 2023, while van der Poel was victorious last season. Van der Poel has finished in the top two in De Ronde for the past five editions of the race.

Van Aert’s fellow Belgian Remco Evenepoel is still facing a race against time to get fit for the Classics, after suffering a slew of broken bones in a freak training crash last year.

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