'Wout's come down from his pink cloud' – Wout van Aert's Paris-Roubaix celebrations mean slow start to Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes

Wout van Aert’s start to the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has been notably sluggish, a surprising development given his previous successes, including a win on Mont Ventoux during the Tour de France. On the opening stage, the Belgian rider lost significant time, finishing 127th and trailing the leaders by 24 minutes. This performance has been partly attributed to the aftermath of his celebrated Paris-Roubaix victory in April, which saw him take time off to recover and celebrate, thus delaying his return to peak racing condition. Visma-Lease a Bike’s head of performance, Mathieu Heijboer, explained that Van Aert’s post-Roubaix period involved considerable downtime and festivities, which naturally extended the time needed to regain his competitive rhythm. The rider himself admitted to struggling physically during the stage, citing leg pain and a less-than-ideal feeling throughout the race. His coach, Maarten Wynants, further contextualised the result by highlighting the nature of the stage, which featured several climbs more suited to general classification contenders rather than a puncheur like Van Aert, who also spent energy supporting teammate Matteo Jorgenson. Wynants emphasised that expectations for Van Aert to contend for the win on this particular stage were unrealistic, noting that the rider had been active early on but ultimately exhausted himself on the climbs. Despite this, the coach reassured that Van Aert is progressing well following an altitude training camp and is on track for the upcoming Tour de France. The current race, formerly known as the Critérium du Dauphiné, is viewed as a stepping stone for Van Aert to rebuild his form ahead of the season’s major objectives. Looking ahead, Van Aert remains optimistic about his chances in the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, particularly on stages with less climbing and flatter finishes where sprinting or breakaway opportunities might arise. He acknowledged that while these stages are relatively easier, they still present significant challenges, and he is keen to seize any chance to claim a stage victory. With the race intensifying towards the weekend, featuring consecutive summit finishes, Van Aert’s focus will be on regaining strength and sharpening his form for the demands of the Tour de France later in the summer.