Van Aert makes aggressive Worlds promise as Pogacar absence opens the door

The Belgian believes the absence of Tadej Pogačar has opened up the contest in Montréal, while his own memories of finishing second on the same roads in 2022 have strengthened his belief that a first road world title is possible.

Van Aert returned several times to that 2022 Grand Prix de Montréal during his final press conference before the Worlds.

He finished second that day after surviving a race that he felt should have been beyond him.

“I’ve thought about it quite a lot,” Van Aert said in quotes collected by Het Nieuwsblad. “It was the Grand Prix where I finished second in a sprint of five, after a race where I exceeded my own expectations.”

“With 100 metres to go I was still convinced I was going to win. Then my legs emptied.”

The man who beat him that day was Pogačar. This weekend, the Slovenian will not be there.

For Van Aert, that changes far more than simply removing one favourite from the start list.

“We shouldn’t pretend otherwise,” he said. “When I heard about his crash, I immediately thought about it.”

“Without him, my chances increase. Everyone’s chances increase. With Tadej, the large majority of riders would simply adapt their race around him.”

His result in Montréal four years ago matters for another reason too. It proved to Van Aert that a course with repeated climbing does not automatically rule out heavier riders such as himself.

“That second place obviously strengthened my belief that something is possible here on Sunday,” he said.

Asked about facing lighter climbers throughout the race, Van Aert shrugged.

“Is that something new? Apart from races that end in a bunch sprint, I’m always racing against those lightweight guys.”

“But I still think this is a different World Championship from Kigali last year or Sallanches next year. Those are really for climbers. This one isn’t. You can see that from the field as well.”

Mathieu van der Poel has played down his own chances, suggesting he has around a five percent chance of winning. Van Aert could only laugh when told.

“Oh, I just told Renaat Schotte [Belgian journalist] in an interview that I give myself eight percent,” he said.

“That’s just guesswork, of course. I’m not going to give myself a bigger chance than Mathieu.”

Van Aert accepts that riders such as Paul Seixas and Remco Evenepoel may have more margin for error on a course this demanding.

“Obviously the chances of Seixas and Remco are bigger in principle,” he said. “They can still correct a situation during the race, while for me things probably really have to fall into place.”

“But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t believe.”

A hard race is not something Van Aert is merely hoping for. He considers it inevitable.

“I’ve never ridden an easy World Championship,” he said. “Sunday won’t be any different. These days every major race is ridden right on the limit.”

That could create an unusual overlap of interests between Van Aert and Van der Poel.

The two have spent years racing against each other, but Van Aert can see scenarios where their ambitions temporarily align.

“Us as allies? That would be nice,” he said with a laugh.

“Obviously Mathieu will be watched by everyone, just like me. We’re also similar types. That long Camillien Houde climb can be right on the limit for both of us.”

“But if we do find ourselves together, I know Mathieu always races to win. He won’t have come here to settle for a podium place.”

“In that sense, we could indeed become allies.”

Van Aert is far less willing to reveal how Belgium intend to use their other major card.

With Evenepoel alongside him, Belgium have two leaders capable of attacking the race in very different ways.

Could Van Aert move early while Evenepoel waits for the final?

“That’s possible,” he said with a smile. “But it wouldn’t be very smart to sit here and explain exactly how we’re going to do it.”

He did, however, offer one clue.

“You mentioned the 2022 Grand Prix de Montréal yourself. My best races have always been the races where I could take the initiative.”

“I don’t think my plan will be to race passively.”

The two leader system gives Belgium options, but it also means there could come a moment when one rider has to give up his own ambitions.

Van Aert sees that as a strength rather than a problem.

“I think that is exactly what should make a system with two leaders strong,” he said. “At some point you can and have to make a choice.”

“It’s no secret that we both want to win, but there can always be a point in the race where one rider’s chances are gone and he can still do something for the other.”

“We’ve already done that several times at championships.”

There is also a different kind of freedom around Van Aert this time.

His victory in Paris-Roubaix changed the emotional weight of his season. He no longer feels as though everything depends on what happens at the Worlds.

That does not mean his ambition has softened.

“It’s true that since Roubaix I’ve been riding around with a completely different feeling,” he said.

“I don’t have to save my season here anymore.”

“But that changes nothing about my ambition. Just like I stood at the start of Roubaix in April trying to win a race I had always dreamed of winning, that’s how I’ll start this World Championship.”

“In that respect, nothing has changed.”