There are some victories that you don’t need to dissect and analyse bit by bit as to how it came about. Instead, the triumph just ought to be celebrated, the person who made it happen should just be saluted and hailed. No need for a thorough breakdown. Wout van Aert’s victory on a lumpy stage 10 of the Vuelta a España – the Visma-Lease a Bike rider’s third in the race so far, and it could so nearly have been six – arose after he initiated the break that stuck, jumped clear one more time, Quentin Pacher of Groupama-FDJ as his solitary partner, and then predictably won the sprint between the pair. They’re the facts, another Van Aert victory, his 49th on the road. But what really needs to be discussed is not the how and the why of his latest success, but the man himself. Because once again he is making the extraordinary look ordinary.
He wins on the flat, against the clock, up mountains and across undulating terrain. He wins as a sprinter, as a time triallist, as a climber and as a puncheur. Van Aert, the powerful version with brute force who nimbly threads his way through a packed and ferocious bunch, wins sprints. Van Aert, the watt-crusher version at 78kg who drags himself up cols with the grace and ease of a climber 20kg lighter, tames and conquers mountains. We’ve known this for years, it’s nothing new – indeed, at the 2022 Tour de France he performed a rendition of Eddy Merckx, showcasing a versatility that the sport hadn’t seen for decades.
But he and his generation – in particular his compatriot Remco Evenepoel and Merckx’s true heir, Tadej Pogačar – are antidotes to the belief that cyclists have to specialise. They prove time and time again that that’s an outdated approach. The very best, of which Van Aert is certainly one, win no matter the terrain. And we should never forget just how exceptional that is. It’s a joy, a pleasure, a delight, all of those such nouns, to watch.
At the Vuelta’s halfway point, Van Aert is comfortably leading the points classification courtesy of winning one sprint and finishing second in the other two, and is the joint-leader in the mountains classification with Adam Yates. He says he won’t pursue the KoM jersey, but the mere fact the green jersey wearer is at the summit of the mountain classification – two very different secondary competitions, remember – is astounding. Even if we've grown accustomed to watching Van Aert’s versatility, it still needs highlighting and celebrating.
His near-misses – he counts dozens of second and third places – are part of his attraction, and his palmarès is definitely missing a few Monuments, at the very least to tie him level with his great rival Mathieu van der Poel in the Classics stakes. But in Grand Tour racing, he’s out on his own compared to his career-long adversary. It’s not even a match. Van Aert is a different beast, and when he’s on form, and he’s definitely on form right now, he is almost an unbeatable opponent. Pacher knew that on stage 10, giving up his sprint before Van Aert even started his. It was a foregone conclusion.
There are still plenty more chances for the Belgian at this Vuelta, especially with his team’s leader Sepp Kuss struggling to defend his title, and soon talk will turn to his World Championship prospects. Twice he’s been second, and Pogačar will be the undoubted favourite in Zurich, but it would be a travesty if the multitalented, do-it-all rockstar who turns 30 in a few weeks never wore the rainbow bands on the road. He’s not operating as vintage Wout van Aert at the moment, but the barometer is getting towards that level. He’s making what he does appear so normal, but remember, it really isn’t. Enjoy it and admire it.
