Wout van Aert shares a glimpse behind curtains into his Giro prep, and his friend Nathan Van Hooydonck shares expectations for the Visma Belgian

After a busy spring campaign, Van Hooydonck said the decision to train in Lucca made sense. “Wout was in Lucca with his family, kind of like a private training camp. If you look at his race calendar combined with training camps, it’s quite a lot. Everyone knows how important family is to him, so it’s logical that he squeezed this camp in like that.”

Van Hooydonck is betting on big ambitions from the rider who placed fourth this year in the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, and Amstel Gold Race. “I think Wout is aiming for a stage win. That way, he’ll have a stage victory in all three grand tours, and I’m assuming that’s a real goal for him. Which makes total sense, he’s Wout van Aert. He’s not going to the Giro to finish second. I think he’s really happy to be racing again, and I believe he’s made another step forward since Paris–Roubaix.”

In Albania, Wout van Aert may already have a shot at glory right from the start, with a hilly stage on day one and three, and a time trial on day two. “Knowing Wout, he’s fully aware there’s a chance to take the pink jersey, and he’ll do everything he can to grab it,” said Van Hooydonck.

“What I’d really love to see is the Wout van Aert from last year’s Vuelta. That he can shape and dictate the race on stages where you wouldn’t necessarily expect it. That’s when we see the best version of Wout. Maybe that’s not the answer of an analyst, but more of a friend. If I could make one wish, it would be for him to have the legs he had at the Vuelta. With those legs, he definitely takes the maglia rosa,” Van Hooydonck concluded.

When it comes to the general classification, Visma | Lease a Bike is aiming at someone else, Van Hooydonck explains. “I think Simon Yates has a shot at a top-five finish, maybe even a bit higher. If he feels good, he has the ability to finish on the podium. He struggled a little with the switch to a new team, with different support staff, bikes, and so on. After riding for the same team for thirteen years, a transfer like that definitely has an impact. But we’ve been patient with him. He’s feeling a lot better now, and I hope the results will follow,” the Belgian concludes.