Interview | Van Aert himself chose "extra challenge" at 3,000 meters: "Managed everything, but with a raincoat on"

"It is certainly not ideal, but so far they have managed to do everything they needed to do, albeit in poor conditions. Of course, we monitor how the training is perceived on a daily basis, because the physical strain is higher in such adverse conditions. They have been able to train, but with a raincoat on - instead of sunscreen."

"That is different for every rider. Some can handle it better than others, and some have better physiological resistance to cold conditions than others. There are certainly different adaptations when it comes to heat, so in that sense, this weather can be a disadvantage leading up to the Tour. If, for example, it gets very hot during the Tour, you miss out on getting that heat adaptation now. However, we can still anticipate it to some extent, with other training methods. Riding in the rain every day, like in the Giro, is also mentally challenging. You have to be even more alert than in normal conditions. But quantifying that is difficult because it's different for every rider."

"You do assess the weather conditions beforehand, whether they are good or bad. Ultimately, the weather forecast wasn't so bad that they couldn't carry out their training, and at the moment, the weather in Europe isn't great overall, except for in Belgium and the Netherlands. We also wanted Wout and Wilco to have that extra challenge of riding at high-altitude at 3,000 meters, and it's not something that can be easily arranged elsewhere."

"Yes, there is definitely a rationale behind that decision. Wout is someone who enjoys seeking new challenges and conditions. Following the same routine every year is not motivating to him, so he expressed early on that he wanted to do the Tour but would like to approach the preparation differently. He had already been at 3,000 meters earlier in 2021, leading up to the World Championships in Belgium, and he wanted to repeat that experience. It's not only to get that extra high-altitude experience heading into the Tour, but also because he wants to perform well at the World Championships after the Tour. His high-altitude training camp has therefore been extended by a week, which is a decision that we discussed in depth beforehand. We always carefully consider how things fit into the overall plan. The main objective is for him to be in the best possible shape for the Tour, and we believe that this approach will work very well."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg)