Struggling Van Aert not able to contribute to Visma's time trial success: 'That's hard to answer'
CyclingWednesday, 10 June 2026 at 11:04
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Follow us on GoogleWout van Aert expressed his disappointment after his limited contribution to the team time trial at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The Belgian was only able to keep up with the Visma | Lease a Bike express train for 9 minutes, though the team still went on to win the time trial.
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It was as an off day for Van Aert, confirmed by the team after the stage. Van Aert suffered a training crash before the French race, and wasn’t in top form heading into his return to the peloton. This became evident in the team time trial, where the Paris-Roubaix winner had to drop out of the line after 9 minutes, completely exhausted.
"I'm standing here with mixed feelings," Van Aert told the Belgian media after his team had won the time trial after all. "It's great to be on the podium with my teammates, but I don't feel like I was able to contribute much."
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Van Aert didn't see time trial off day coming
"On the first climb, the pace was just too fast for me right from the start—there’s not much you can hide in a team time trial," the Belgian admitted honestly. "Of course, you don’t expect this to happen, but we have to stay calm now and keep doing the right things. It’s not exactly fun, though."
The crash—which left Van Aert riding with his limbs bandaged on the first day—set back his preparations for the summer. But: “I had hoped to be further along than I showed today. But every day is a snapshot, and this wasn’t a good one.”
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Will Van Aert be in top form for the Tour de France?
So the assessment was one of mixed feelings. 'When you have to race against such tough competition, it can be disappointing. I wasn’t really able to do my part, and Ben (Tulett, ed.) also got a flat tire on that first descent. The fact that we still managed to set the fastest time says a lot about how strong those guys are.'
However, his legs weren’t in top form a month before the Tour de France. So the question is justified: will Van Aert be 100 percent in July? “That’s hard to answer. Today was a disappointing day, so we’ll see how things develop from here.”
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Visma | Lease a Bike consoles Van Aert
Within Visma | Lease a Bike, there were words of comfort for Van Aert, for example from Matteo Jorgenson, who secured the victory as a general classification rider. “Of course, it’s Wout, so we expect the world from him. But at the end of the day, he’s only human.”
According to the American, we shouldn't underestimate the impact of Van Aert's crash during training. "That fall was pretty bad; he told us what happened. It really did set him back. It'll take some time to heal."
Author: David Bavin-Hobbs - [email protected]
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Gran artículo, pero una duda: ¿por qué solo dos horas de reconocimiento? Eso suena muy corto para un Mundial. Merci!velodromevirtuoso119-09-2026
- - Wait, Rwanda 2025—did he really win last year by over a minute on Jay Vine? I thought the huge margin was two seasons ago. Feels like the article’s mixing editions?jennifer1919-09-2026
- - Fifth in Montréal after the Québec win isn’t a red flag. That parcours is punchier and the cadence demands are different. TT legs should be fine by Sunday. Allez Remco!davidm19-09-2026
- - Ganna’s “2–3 km” power is insane, but this is 39k. Over/under pacing will decide it. If Remco negative splits like Québec, he’s favourite. If it’s blustery, Ganna’s mass might help. Flip a coin.sprocketspiny19-09-2026
- - Remco’s right to be annoyed. Two hours for line choice, wind mapping, road surface, manhole locations, roundabouts, and turnaround pacing is tight. He’s meticulous—racetrack sessions, CdA dialing, the whole lot. Marginal gains win rainbow bands.andrewf19-09-2026
- - How does course reconnaissance actually help in a time trial if it’s mostly flat and straight? Is it just corner lines and wind spots, or are there other things they look for?bikebuffj19-09-2026
- - Minor correction: the Worlds TT is usually on a weekday, not Sunday the 20th? Is that a typo from the organiser or the article? Either way, Montréal flats + long straights scream Ganna vs Evenepoel. Can’t wait.gearguru3319-09-2026
- - Love the confidence from Remco, but two hours recon on a2km TT is a joke. Course knowledge matters at 55 kph. Still, if anyone maximises aero and pacing, it’s him.breakawaybikerd19-09-2026
- - Qué pena por Carapaz, pero la salud primero. Volverá más fuerte. Grande campeón!robert6519-09-2026
- - Slightly harsh take: announcing via “his own channels” isn’t unique to South America, it’s just modern pro sport. That line felt a bit stereotyped, to be honest.davidm19-09-2026
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