Wout van Aert acknowledges the significance of his Tour de France stage win at the Paris stage, recognizing the broader impact of his success in his home criterium return.
Wout van Aert Remains Undecided About Rwanda World Championships
After his victorious ride in the Champs-Élysees, securing his second win in the iconic Parisian race, Wout van Aert finds himself facing a new challenge: the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda. However, the Belgian cycling sensation has yet to make a decision about his participation.
Van Aert, currently enjoying some well-deserved downtime after his Paris win, has not given much thought to the World Championships in Rwanda, scheduled for late September. Speaking to Sporza and Nieuwsblad, he expressed that the event "has to make sense" to him before he commits.
As of late July, no further details about his post-Tour de France plans were provided, and he has not had any contact with national coach Serge Pauwels regarding the Rwanda World Championships.
Belgium's national coach, Serge Pauwels, is hopeful but cautious. He stated that the chances are "more likely no than yes," though he remains open to Van Aert joining if he decides to fully commit to preparing for the challenging conditions, including high altitude, heat, and a tough course.
Meanwhile, Van Aert has been spending time with his family, occasionally playing with his kids, and having a few nice parties. He may also participate in the Belgian National Gravel Championships three days before the Deutschland Tour, which begins on August 20.
In the meantime, Van Aert has been keeping busy. He won the post-Tour de France criterium in Herentals, beating Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck). The city of Herentals celebrated some of the Tour's top riders, with 30,000 people in attendance.
Despite the excitement surrounding the Rwanda World Championships, the event has not been on Van Aert's mind these past few days. However, when asked about his potential participation, he expressed that he always wants to ride the World Championships, but it has to be meaningful.
In the past two seasons, Van Aert has proven his mettle by riding Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) off his wheel. As the cycling world waits to see if he will take on the challenge of the Rwanda World Championships, one thing is certain: wherever Van Aert rides, excitement is sure to follow.
[1] Sporza
[2] Nieuwsblad
[3] De Morgen
[5] Het Laatste Nieuws
- Wout van Aert, currently enjoying some rest after his Paris win, has not given much thought to the upcoming UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda, which he referred to as an event that "has to make sense" to him before committing.
- Despite the intrigue around the Rwanda World Championships, the event has not been on Wout van Aert's mind these past few days, indicating a possible hesitation in his decision to participate.
