How the World Cup hangs like a shadow over van Aart’s and van der Poel’s ambitions on Tour | Tour de France

Jonas Vingegaard won the 2022 Tour, but perhaps even more impressive was his lieutenant Wout van Aert. Van Aert seems to have combined the roles of super valet, stage kidnapper, and runner.

For 2023, Van Aert has already announced that he’s putting his green ambitions in the fridge, though not in the freezer. But what will his role be? Does he want to drive completely empty again for Vingegaard, when the World Cup road race is scheduled two weeks after the Champs-Elysées, his biggest goal of the summer?

“It’s swearing in church, but in reality this Tour is also a preparatory race for Glasgow,” says Renate Schott of the Tour de Tribune Special.

“I don’t even see Van Aert going to Paris. You’re dealing with the special situation of his pregnant wife. He’s already announced he’s leaving the tour when giving birth. That says something about how he’s going on the tour.”

José De Cauwer: “I don’t see Van Aert playing a valet in Vingegaard like last year.” “He won’t want to push himself again with a World Cup goal,” says Christophe Vandeghore.

When Wout van Aert’s name comes up, it won’t be long before Mathieu van der Poel’s name is also thrown into the group. The Dutchman is also in the same boat as Van Aert.

Schott: “Wout still has a World Cup account, but Matthew is much older after all that happened in Wollongong (he quickly walked out after the fuss with the kids in his hotel, ed.).”

“In Alpecin, they don’t want to make the same mistakes he made last year in the Tour,” says Vandegoor. “On the one hand, by not bringing in runners again, but on the other by making Van der Poel fresher at the start.”

“Last year he had the Giro in his legs and he had already raced a lot before the Tour started. That’s not the case now. He’ll pick some targets in the Tour.”

De Cower: “I don’t expect any crazy things from Mathieu on the Tour. It’s up time for him to throw in his power. He’ll now drive to score.”