'I have to keep working now' – Wout van Aert shows class is permanent with victory on stage 5 of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Wout van Aert demonstrated his enduring class with a commanding victory on stage five of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, prevailing in a bunch sprint finish in Villars-les-Dombes. Despite a recent training crash and a challenging start to the race, the 31-year-old Belgian led the charge in the final dash, holding off strong contenders Hugo Hofstetter and Phil Bauhaus. This win marked Van Aert’s first road victory since his triumph at Paris-Roubaix in April, providing a timely boost ahead of the upcoming Tour de France. Van Aert’s form had been under scrutiny following his crash and a difficult team time trial earlier in the race, but his performance on Thursday suggested he is regaining his competitive edge. He acknowledged the mental and physical challenges he faced but praised the support of his team, who worked tirelessly to reel in breakaways throughout the stage. The race featured a six-man breakaway early on, but the peloton maintained control, setting up a high-speed sprint finish where Van Aert confidently launched his decisive move with 200 metres remaining. Reflecting on his victory, Van Aert expressed satisfaction but emphasised the need to continue working hard in preparation for the Tour de France. He highlighted that his current form had not dramatically changed since the start of the race, but the terrain of the last two days suited him better. The win underscored Van Aert’s resilience and tactical acumen, reinforcing his status as one of the sport’s premier sprinters even when not at peak condition. The overall classification remains led by Alex Baudin of EF Education-EasyPost, who holds a 12-second advantage over Netcompany-Ineos riders Kévin Vauquelin and Oscar Onley. With the race set to enter more mountainous terrain, the upcoming stages will test the contenders’ climbing abilities and could shake up the general classification. Van Aert’s victory on the flat stage serves as a reminder of his versatility and the threat he poses in sprint finishes throughout the event.