Van Aert starts Dauphiné battered but ambitious after training crash

"I can't hide it, indeed," Van Aert told Sporza before the start of the opening stage. "I fell in training on Monday. It was my own fault, a moment of inattention. I was training on the time trial bike when I suddenly lost control of my handlebars and ended up on the ground."

"It's actually not that bad, otherwise I wouldn't be at the start line here. I don't think it will bother me much," said the Belgian.

Van Aert has five stage wins in three previous appearances at what used to be called the Critérium du Dauphiné, his most recent back in the 2022 season, with the race officially renamed for 2026 after a partnership agreement with the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

For the 31-year-old Belgian, it will be his first race since his victory at Paris-Roubaix, where he finally claimed the cobbled Monument he had long coveted. In the meantime, he did make an appearance at the Marly Grav gravel race, which he immediately went on to win.

"The goal is to build up here towards the Tour, but also to chase a result. It is always better to have a goal."

"I expect a super tough week. The Dauphiné is always one of the toughest races of the year. There won't be many opportunities for non-climbers. But there are a few tough stages where it is a bit flatter in the final. That is where I can take my chance in the sprint or with a breakaway," concluded Van Aert.

Stages 4 and 5 look like Van Aert’s best opportunities in the Dauphiné, with both featuring flatter finishes after some climbing earlier in the day.

Beyond this week, however, Visma | Lease a Bike are also building towards one of their major early Tour de France goals. Speaking to Domestique, Van Aert recently said the team already have the opening weekend in Barcelona in mind, where the team time trial could play a decisive role.

“I already have my mind set on the opening weekend,” Van Aert said. “I don’t think there will be a huge number of chances for me on this route, but in the first weekend, I think there will be.”

“We want to win the team time trial,” he added. “That is a very big goal for us as a team. And if we do that well, there is also a chance for me to maybe wear the yellow jersey.”

The Tour de France opens in Barcelona on 4 July with a team time trial, giving Visma a clear early target as they look to put Jonas Vingegaard in yellow and potentially hand Van Aert a chance of his own.