Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease A Bike) has confirmed that he’ll make his debut within the Vuelta a España, which begins in Lisbon, Portugal, on August 17.
Van Aert had initially deliberate to race the Giro d’Italia for the primary time this 12 months, however after a particularly unhealthy crash within the Spring Classics, that concept was scrapped and he as a substitute opted to do the Tour de France.
On Saturday Van Aert performed an instrumental help position for Belgian teammate and Olympic gold medallist Remco Evenepoel after taking a bronze within the males’s time trial the week earlier than.
Evenepoel is anticipated to take a number of weeks off however Van Aert will quickly be focussing once more on Grand Tour stage racing.
“Holiday? No, in two weeks I will probably be firstly of the Vuelta” Van Aert, mentioned within the ‘Paris by night’ Belgian tv programme late on Saturday.
Van Aert rode for Jonas Vingegaard on the Tour de France, with a certain quantity of freedom to focus on phases and sprints. At the Vuelta a España, Van Aert will race alongside one other defending champion, American teammate Sepp Kuss and maybe having a really related position.
Visma-Lease a Bike are anticipated to incorporate Van Aert’s compatriot Cian Uijtdebroeks of their squad for the Vuelta.
Uijtdebroeks needed to to desert the Giro d’Italia and like Van Aert will now doubtless be redirecting his concentrate on Grand Tour racing on Spain.
Van Aert’s end-of-season race programme can even comprise the World Championships highway race in Switzerland (September 29), adopted by the Gravel World Championships (October 5) on dwelling soil in Belgium.
