Supporting the team leaders, but three stages in his sights too: Toon Aerts reveals his Giro plans

The Giro d'Italia has no shortage of compelling stories. But the story of Toon Aerts is something special. The 32-year-old Belgian is making his Grand Tour debut with Lotto-Intermarché after a strong spring on the road, adding yet another chapter to a career that has primarily revolved around cyclocross. He spoke to Belgian newspaper HLN about what we can expect from him at the Tour of Italy.

First, his role. The team goes in with both Arnaud De Lie and Lennert Van Eetvelt as protected leaders. "I'll help them wherever I can. In the second half, I'll try to sneak into a move or sprint in a harder stage once Arnaud has been dropped." So Aerts will have the occasional opportunity of his own too.

He has already marked three stages in his mind, stage 12 being the first target. "I think stage 12 might be a first chance — though I'll have to see how I arrive at the start of that stage." As a Grand Tour debutant, that's still an unknown. "I've already asked the sports directors and coaches: what should I do on a rest day? You hear some riders say you need to go out for three hours to stay in the rhythm."

Or is it a full day off? "Those kinds of things make me a little uncertain," says Aerts, who has been making plans. "We fly from Bulgaria to Italy on Sunday evening, so Monday should still be fine to go out for a spin — but for the second rest day, I'll have to see whether I feel like pulling on my race shorts."

By that point, they'll be deep into the Giro, and Aerts still has finishing the race as his primary objective. "But I do assume I'll manage it," the Belgian laughs. "I hope that quote doesn't come back to bite me... Beyond simply finishing, I want to help the team achieve something — not just be there to make up the numbers."

So it is the team that comes first for Aerts — as has been the case before on the road. "Last year I won the Renewi Tour with Arnaud as a pure domestique, and I still think about it often even now. That feeling gave me just as much as winning a cyclocross race myself. Maybe even more. When you win a cyclo-cross, it's a nice feeling standing on the podium — but half an hour later you're back in the camper with your family driving home to Rijkevorsel..."

And so that is his great goal, shared with his team. "Winning a road race as a team is a completely different experience. You've been working towards it with seven riders, and when it all comes together and you fall into each other's arms, the release is enormous. I hope to get to experience that a few more times in this Giro."

And if it doesn't come off? "Then you have each other to lean on. In cyclocross, you're sitting alone in the camper with tears in your eyes," Aerts concludes.