Van Aert — like head of equipment — convinced by mechanical innovation: "Impressed by how it works"

First and foremost, because of the fact that Van Aert loves racing on gravel. Two years ago, he participated in the Gravel World Championships and was set to race again last season until his nasty crash in the Vuelta a España forced him to withdraw. Even in his free time, Van Aert often takes out his gravel bike to explore scenic routes around his hometown of Herentals, sometimes training with Daan Soete.

He won't be racing Strade Bianche this year, but he will take on Clásica Jaén. "Last year wasn’t the best experience—I had a puncture, and a lot of gravel sections were removed. It works well as a combination with the Volta ao Algarve, so it sets up a good first race week. But a gravel race like this also really appeals to me. It’s a beautiful region, so hopefully, we can ride all the sectors this time," Van Aert said, referencing last year's edition, where many gravel stretches were taken out.

This winter, Visma | Lease a Bike conducted extensive testing with the GRAVAA system, which allows on-the-fly tire pressure adjustments while riding. Van Aert hinted at the technology in a lighthearted way by referencing the song "Pump It Up". However, during the team’s media day, he couldn’t confirm whether he would actually use it this season. In Paris-Roubaix 2023, Dylan van Baarle and Christophe Laporte raced with the GRAVAA system, but Van Aert himself did not.

"I don’t know if we’ll use the GRAVAA system there, but it’s definitely something the team is fully implementing this year," the Belgian leader said when asked. "We’re still analyzing how and where we can best use it in races. Whether I’ll use it in Flanders and Roubaix, I don’t know yet. But it’s definitely a great system. I tested it this winter, and I’m really impressed by how it works—and how well it keeps working. It can definitely help us."

Visma | Lease a Bike’s Head of Equipment, Jenco Drost, provided further insight into GRAVAA while speaking in La Nucia. "We feel that some riders notice the weight difference, while others don’t. It really depends on the impact we can have with it. If it saves 25 watts, riders will use it immediately. But if it only saves 2.5 watts, they might think: then I don’t need it," Drost explained. "We were already at a high level when it comes to mechanical innovations, but this system adds a new dimension to our work on the bike."

Could the system already be used in races like Clásica Jaén and Strade Bianche? "On all unpaved roads, it can provide an advantage," Drost states. "In a gravel race, it can be a real benefit, although it depends on the elevation gain. If there’s a lot of climbing, weight becomes a factor. But let me put it this way: on rough surfaces, it helps."

Drost is confident that Visma | Lease a Bike can score with the system, as Marianne Vos already did at the World Gravel Championship 2024. "If I tell a rider they can trust the system, they can be sure it’s technology that is highly reliable, and they don’t need to worry about it failing mid-race. But they also have to trust it themselves, and that comes from riding with it. If they don’t feel comfortable with it, they’re better off using a different bike."

From Visma | Lease a Bike’s perspective, GRAVAA could make a significant difference. "Especially in Paris-Roubaix, it’s a huge advantage. We’ll see how it performs this year, but I’m certain this is something that’s here to stay in the sport."