‘At some point my time will be over’ - Van Aert names two races he still dreams of winning

Wout van Aert returned to training on Tuesday with a session on Rouvy, following a month away from cycling that included a road trip through California with his family and a week in Ibiza.

“After the Worlds we went to California for a nice road trip with my family. I had a good holiday, so I’m in a good mood,” Van Aert said. “I’m mentally fully recovered, and that’s the most important thing. I did fun things and made nice memories. For me that’s in the simple things, mainly spending time with my family, the basics. But I also like good food and good wine, which you have to be careful with during the season.”

The break followed a 2026 campaign that delivered one of the biggest victories of his career, but was also disrupted by injuries. His season began with a crash and a broken ankle at the cyclocross in Mol, which ended his winter, while an elbow injury later ruled him out of the Tour de France.

Between those setbacks came a memorable triumph at Paris-Roubaix, where he beat Tadej Pogačar in a two-up sprint on the Roubaix velodrome after the pair had spent 54 kilometres together at the front. Jasper Stuyven finished third as Van Aert claimed his second Monument victory, following Milan-San Remo in 2020.

He also enjoyed success at the Vuelta, winning stage 13 in Loja and stage 15 in Córdoba before securing the points classification. In doing so, he became the first Belgian to win the green jersey at the Spanish Grand Tour since Frank Vandenbroucke in 1999.

With his batteries recharged after a demanding season, Van Aert is now looking ahead to the winter. As in previous years, cyclocross will form part of his preparations, although his racing schedule has yet to be finalised.

“I’ll do some cyclo-cross races, like every winter. I’m really looking forward to it, but I can’t say yet where or when I’ll start,” Van Aert said. “We have to take all my goals for 2027 into account and make a good plan. I still need to sit down with the team and my trainer. But I can’t wait to start.”

The uncertainty surrounding his cyclocross programme reflects the importance of what lies ahead on the road. Despite adding Paris-Roubaix to his palmarès, Van Aert still has two major ambitions he is determined to fulfil.

He has twice finished runner-up at the Tour of Flanders and stood on the podium at the World Championships road race four times, but victory in both races has so far eluded him.

“It’s easy to name my main goal. The Tour of Flanders is a race I dream of and that’s still missing, so I keep aiming at it. Just like the Worlds,” he said. “At some point my time will be over, but it’s nice to still have those goals. It keeps me fresh.”

Having turned 32 in September, Van Aert knows his opportunities will not last forever. But rather than dwelling on the passing years, he sees those unfinished ambitions as a source of motivation.

The 2027 World Championships in Haute-Savoie, however, may not offer his best opportunity to claim the rainbow jersey. With 5,700 metres of climbing across 265 kilometres, the demanding course appears better suited to pure climbers.

More favourable opportunities could come in the following years, with the 2028 World Championships in Abu Dhabi and the 2029 edition in Copenhagen expected to feature considerably flatter routes.

For Van Aert, though, the prospect of chasing those victories is part of what keeps him motivated.

“It’s also something I’ve learned over the years, that I have to keep having those goals. If I go too long without one, even if it’s just a sub-goal, I lose my focus. So it’s not only the process, it’s the goal itself that motivates me.”