Wout van Aert is set to start the Vuelta a España in Lisbon next Saturday, a certainty amid the uncertainties surrounding the full roster of star riders. Van Aert’s presence at the Vuelta has been a constant plan since the season began, despite a heavy crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen that cut short his Spring Classics campaign and ruled him out of the Giro d’Italia.
After missing the Giro, Van Aert joined Visma-Lease a Bike’s Tour de France squad, playing a supportive role for Jonas Vingegaard. Though he faced frustrations in his own bid for a stage win, Van Aert went on to claim a bronze medal in the time trial at the Paris 2024 Olympics, before aiding his compatriot Remco Evenepoel in securing victory in the road race.
“It was Wout’s explicit wish to ride the Vuelta after the Tour,” explained Visma directeur sportif Grischa Niermann in an interview with Sporza. “Wout is very motivated to prove himself again this year, because he is a rider who wants to win races. As a team we will do everything we can to help him win a stage in the Vuelta. He deserves it.”
When initial talks about Van Aert’s Giro and Vuelta ambitions were floated last winter, speculation arose about a possible general classification attempt. However, Niermann confirmed that Van Aert’s main objective in Spain would be chasing stage victories, while Sepp Kuss would lead their overall standings effort.
Despite Kuss’ focus, Van Aert is expected to enjoy more freedom at the Vuelta compared to the Tour de France. “Sepp is the reigning champion but not the top favourite to win this Vuelta, which means Wout won’t have to sacrifice himself in every mountain stage,” Niermann stated. “In the Tour, we had one of the top favourites with Jonas Vingegaard. In the Vuelta, six or seven teams can contend for the final victory. We won’t need to control every mountain stage from kilometre zero, allowing Wout a different role.”
Van Aert will likely target stage wins in bunch sprints, transition stages, and the opening time trial in Lisbon. “We see a lot of opportunities for Wout to score, ideally even more than five,” Niermann noted, dismissing the idea of an early departure from the Vuelta as preparation for the World Championships in Zürich. “We’re not considering that because the final time trial in Madrid is also tailor-made for him,” he added.
The Vuelta, starting on 17th August, will mark Van Aert’s first victory chase since winning Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in February. Stay updated with all our coverage of the 2024 Vuelta a España, including breaking news, in-depth analysis, and reports from every stage, delivered straight to your inbox. Find out more.
