Wout van Aert's unforgettable Tour de France: Lafay trauma, steamrolling, 'just not,' and UAE demoralization

"I had the legs to win a stage, but it didn't come off," Van Aert said about it himself in a farewell video from the team. "That gives me a bittersweet feeling, but overall, I rode with great confidence, drawing much morale from the goals we set beforehand. However, what will stay with me the most is that this Tour became the one where I called home every day and eventually decided to leave early."

The opening weekend of the Tour catered to riders of all specialties. The climbers in the Basque Country seized their opportunity to make an immediate impact, while the classics specialists pursued their ambitions. Even the good climbers in the sprint didn't rule out a chance for success. While there was much talk about various contenders, in reality, it was primarily Van Aert who demonstrated exceptional resilience during the challenging climbs in the finale on the first two days, positioning himself among the leading pack of riders.

On day one, he accepted the fact that brothers Adam and Simon Yates were stronger on the final climb. The two Brits managed to maintain their lead during the downhill and battled for the day's victory. The following day, frustration set in when Van Aert positioned himself well at the front, and Jumbo-Visma controlled the final kilometers in preparation for a sprint. Unfortunately, the sprint opportunity didn't materialize as Victor Lafay secured the win with a late attack. Van Aert, visibly upset, finished second. It became a Lafay trauma de luxe....

On days three and four, Van Aert had two more opportunities. Before the Tour, he had acknowledged that his best chance for stage success would likely be the sprints, and we had high hopes for him. On day three, which happened to be the last day in the Basque Country, he came tantalizingly close to victory. Unfortunately, a sudden turn to the right forced him to yield his position, and Jasper Philipsen emerged as the eventual winner. Van Aert had to hit the brakes and finished in fifth place. The following day, during a car circuit race, he secured the ninth spot, but the final was marred by crashes and chaos.

With a mix of frustration and determination, we ventured into the Pyrenees, and for two consecutive days, Van Aert found himself in the breakaway. However, this was not solely due to his own decision. Jumbo-Visma strategically utilized the southern French climbs to launch Vingegaard into the attack. On day four, Van Aert still played a crucial role as Vingegaard gained significant time on Tadej Pogacar during the ascent of Col de Marie Blanque. The following day, the Belgian cyclist embarked on a surprisingly extended effort, leading the way from the top of the Tourmalet throughout the descent, valley, and much of the final climb to Cauterets-Cambasque, staying ahead of Vingegaard and Pogacar. Once his work was accomplished, he shifted into park mode.

A day after two grueling days of climbing, Jumbo-Visma granted Van Aert a well-deserved rest day, despite there being a sprint on day seven of the Tour. The team's focus was entirely on the following day when, in Limoges, a golden opportunity awaited Van Aert to sprint uphill for the win. Everything seemed to be going perfectly until he got boxed in by the Alpecin-Deceuninck train, leaving him in a compromised position. Despite his valiant efforts, he managed to secure 'only' third place.

"We are pushing for wins, but for now, it's just not happening. It's been the Tour of near misses so far," Van Aert commented. Nevertheless, he was relentless, competing for stage success for the fifth time in eight days. The versatile rider was still searching for that elusive opportunity and gave his all on the first day after the initial rest day. However, the tenth stage proved to be a tough one for him, as he faced his weakest performance in the Tour so far, even drawing criticism from fellow cyclist Tom Dumoulin. Was he overexerting himself? Adding to the mix, there were rumors circulating that Lidl-Trek suggested Van Aert might indeed be returning home soon due to his wife Sarah's pregnancy.

As the second week came to a close and the third week began, Van Aert's role became increasingly liberated. Jumbo-Visma showcased its remarkable depth, granting Van Aert more opportunities to showcase his skills. The focus shifted away from sprinting and increasingly towards the job he wasn't expected to excel in: climbing. Astonishingly, during the final weekend of the second week, he delivered an impressive performance in a grueling Alpine stage, securing a second-place finish, with Wout Poels claiming the top spot. Read that sentence five more times, stand up, and applaud.

Especially when you consider that a day earlier, Van Aert had single-handedly shattered the morale of the UAE Team Emirates train with a rarely seen display of strength. Van Aert worked tirelessly for Vingegaard towards and on Col de Joux Plane. Although he faced challenges from Rafal Majka, he persevered, making a stunning comeback when the UAE rider pushed the pace. With the power of a high-speed train, Van Aert threw over the entire group, surpassing Majka and taking the lead. He continued to lead the group with one more impressive turn. "I had to pass, but I gained motivation when I learned that Majka couldn't keep up with the pace. At that moment, I was determined to demonstrate that we had control of the race today," he explained afterwards. The video capturing this momentous occasion can be found below this article, and for us, it is a defining moment of his Tour.

After the Alpine weekend, we bid farewell to Van Aert at the beginning of the third week (unaware that it would be his last appearance) in the individual time trial on Tuesday and the queen stage on Wednesday. In the time trial, on a challenging course, he finished an impressive third place, trailing behind Vingegaard and Pogacar (whom he described as "the best of the normal people"). However, as they ascended towards Col de la Loze, his energy waned, and it turned out to be his final standout performance in a Tour that was filled with highs, lows, frustrations, and fortunate moments. Even without securing a stage win, it was an unparalleled Tour for Van Aert. We eagerly anticipate his return as a brand new father at the World Championships in Glasgow in August.