Wout van Aert eyes Milan-Sanremo redemption - 'The winner in me hasn’t disappeared'

Van Aert knows the numbers raise questions. Fewer victories, fewer dominant moments than in previous seasons. Yet inside the peloton his confidence has not disappeared.

Tirreno-Adriatico offered the final chance to sharpen his form before the classics begin. A victory did not come, but the Visma | Lease a Bike rider felt his condition improving as the week went on. Exactly how much closer he is to his best level remains hard to say. “I don’t know,” Van Aert admitted to Sporza when asked how many percentages he gained during the race.

Despite the steady build up in form, Van Aert stops short of calling himself a favourite for the first monument of the season. In his eyes, two riders currently dominate that conversation.

“I don’t think I’m one of the favourites. Pogacar and Van der Poel are the big favourites.”

Yet moments he could not resist adding a small wink when asked whether the eventual winner of Milan-Sanremo had already been riding in Tirreno-Adriatico. “Do I think the winner of Sanremo was riding here? Yes. If I said no, it would mean I have very little confidence.”

Still, the goal remains unchanged. “I’m going to Milan Sanremo to win.”

That ambition is not unrealistic. Few races reward versatility like La Primavera. The 290+ kilometre marathon often turns chaotic in the final hour, where climbers, sprinters and puncheurs all find opportunities depending on how the race unfolds.

Van Aert believes his legs showed encouraging signs in the past week. “I think my legs were good in the last days of Tirreno,” he said. “Sanremo is exactly the type of race where a lot can happen.”

His own history with the race strengthens that belief. In five appearances at Milan-Sanremo he has never finished outside the top eight. The highlight came in 2020, when he outsprinted Julian Alaphilippe to claim victory after an explosive finale. “I’ve never had a bad Sanremo,” the 31-year-old Van Aert said. “So I’m happy to be back.”

The last time he participated was in 2023, when he finished third behind Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna.

Questions have surfaced in recent seasons about whether Van Aert has lost some of the ruthless instinct that once defined his racing. Some analysts suggest the killer edge that made him so prolific has faded.

Van Aert hears the criticism but does not accept the premise. “I don’t know who started that statement,” he said. “I understand that I win considerably less than before. But that doesn’t mean the winner in me has disappeared.”