Van Aert not the top favourite for Sanremo, but still heading there to win

The last time the Belgian competed in Sanremo was in 2023, when he finished third. “I skipped Milano–Sanremo for a few years, but I definitely wanted to start there again this season,” Van Aert said in a press release. “The race is one of the most beautiful on the cycling calendar. I really enjoyed watching last year’s exciting edition, so it’s extra motivating to be back at the start soon.”

Van Aert competed in the Ename Samyn Classic, the Strade Bianche, and the Tirreno-Adriatico as part of his preparation. His best result was a fifth-place finish in the fourth stage of the latter race. “Overall, I’m satisfied with how I felt during those races. I had a good week at Tirreno–Adriatico, where I was able to test myself several times. I’ve done everything I can to be ready."

The 31-year-old Belgian won Milan-Sanremo in 2020 and hopes to repeat the feat. "It’s the start of an important month with many top classics. I hope to be competitive everywhere. I’m not starting as the top favorite, but my goal is to win the race. I absolutely believe in my chances. Milano-Sanremo is a race where many scenarios are possible.”

In recent years, Van Aert has faced two rivals in Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar who have often proven to be the stronger riders so far, but he has shown on multiple occasions that he can beat them. Moreover, the Belgian all-rounder won’t be alone at the start. Visma | Lease a Bike is sending a strong and versatile squad to Italy.

Grischa Niermann sees a strength for his team in just that. “We can rely on a strong group," said the German Head of Racing of Visma | Lease a Bike. "In addition to Wout, riders like Matteo (Jorgenson) and Christophe (Laporte) have shown in recent races that they are in good form. With them, we can certainly play a role in the finale. We head to Milan with a lot of ambition.” Matthew Brennan was also supposed to start, but he is sick.