Jan Bakelants, a former training partner of Wout van Aert, frequently shares his thoughts on the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider. After Van Aert’s impressive performance at the Giro d’Italia, where he played a crucial role for his team, Bakelants is confident the Belgian star is poised for more success at the upcoming Tour de France.
“Wout might not agree with me, but the version of him we see in the summer is on another level compared to how he starts the season,” Bakelants told Wieler Revue. “Just look at the performances he’s already delivered at the Tour. His best Monument from the spring actually came in the autumn, like that Tour of Flanders during the COVID year when Mathieu van der Poel barely beat him.”
Reflecting on Van Aert’s form throughout the year, Bakelants anticipates noticeable improvement, especially compared to earlier months. He referenced a concept from his university days—circadian rhythm—typically associated with daily cycles but, he notes, could also apply seasonally. “Top teams haven’t explored this fully, but it might explain fluctuations in performance,” he said. “Wout might dismiss it as nonsense, but if I ran a team, I’d be working with universities to study it.”
Bakelants holds high hopes for Van Aert at the Tour, especially considering the hilly terrain early in the race. “The Tour has always brought out the best in Wout. I believe he can take the yellow jersey and at least one stage win, like he did in 2022. But much depends on the team’s priorities. For Vingegaard, the northern France stages can be nerve-wracking, but for Wout, stages two and four should be easy work.”
Despite Van Aert’s past dominance, Bakelants believes he doesn’t need to match previous achievements to have a successful Tour. “If he wins at least one stage, that’s a success. But if he doesn’t win any, it’ll feel like a bit of a letdown.”
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