Trentin's eyes sparkle after unexpected compliment from Van Aert: "It's very nice to hear"

Matteo Trentin, after spending three years with UAE Team Emirates, made a surprising move to the Tudor Pro Cycling Team project led by Fabian Cancellara last year. It was a step back to the Pro Continental level, but the strong Italian saw great value in his transfer. Wout van Aert said it was a great move, which Trentin took as a lovely compliment. He provided some insights in an interview with IDLProCycling.com.

In a detailed conversation published by Het Nieuwsblad, the sponsor of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Van Aert was asked to pick a team he might consider if he were ever to change teams. The Jumbo-Visma cyclist responded thoughtfully, "It’s a really hard question. My answer might seem a bit offbeat, but I’d lean towards a setup like Tudor or Uno-X. They're teams with solid infrastructures and brimming with young talent. I envision myself, later on, in a mentoring capacity, similar to what Trentin is undertaking at Tudor. Ideally, it’d be with a team where there’s room for growth, in terms of both budget and strategy. They seem to have it right. That’s attractive to me, but my main goal is to stay with my current team as long as possible," Van Aert elaborated.

Unaware of Van Aert’s remarks until we mentioned them, Trentin’s reaction was a mix of surprise and pleasure, his eyes gleaming with a hint of joy. "Hearing that is incredibly heartwarming. I’m thoroughly enjoying my time here, and I’m really drawn to Tudor’s setup. It’s impressively professional for a smaller squad. There’s room for improvement and evolution, but we’ve got a solid foundation. Working here is fulfilling, especially alongside the young talents," he detailed.

With his experience, he can play an important role, although he is the first to put it into perspective. "As a team, we can grow step by step, thereby finding the right direction. How can I, as the experienced guy, support these young riders? You could discuss a race like the Omloop for seven hours, but in the end, the way the race unfolded is far more valuable for those guys than an actual seven-hour discussion."

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was a tough initiation for Trentin and Tudor

And so it happened, as the Omloop - where Trentin finished ninth - turned out to be quite a tough introduction for the Tudor team. "There’s not much to say about such a race; it was just incredibly fast. With 150 kilometers still to go, Visma | Lease a Bike took the race in their hands, went full throttle, leading to the fastest Omloop Het Nieuwsblad ever, so you know how tough the race was."

"My legs were okay," he commented on his first race of the spring. "It took its toll, having been in a chasing position all day, which also meant I was poorly positioned for the Muur. I had to move up from a bad spot, but I paid for that effort on the Bosberg. I ended up in the first group, but I knew right away that Jan Tratnik’s move was the right one when I saw him go."

"He went, Politt followed him, and nobody wanted to chase," Trentin elaborated. "Lotto-Dstny eventually put in a strong effort for Arnaud De Lie, but when everyone is completely spent, you can't really do much. If someone can then get ahead, that's it. Visma | Lease a Bike played it very smartly," he inadvertently compliments Van Aert’s team.