In the upcoming weeks in Spain, Wout van Aert will significantly enhance his physical condition. Three weeks of training, with a Cyclocross competition in Benidorm in between. Van Aert has definitively started the quest for his first cobblestone monument. His preparation for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix is a bit different than usual.
Treinos na Espanha
O Hotel Bonalba em Mutxamel, Espanha, é onde os ciclistas da Visma-Lease a Bike residirão, nas próximas semanas. Na tarde desta segunda-feira, Van Aert completou um curto treino, de pouco menos de uma hora nas estradas espanholas. Só para esticar as pernas depois do voo para Alicante.
A partir de terça-feira ele aumentará o número de horas de treino. A partir de agora, o foco estará cada vez mais no Tour de Flandres e Paris-Roubaix. Ele quer aumentar suas chances de vencer este ano ajustando um pouco sua preparação.
“Last year was a bit too much for me”
“After a weekend of rest to digest the tough block of competitions during the Christmas period, I’ll be working in Spain for three weeks, with the Benidorm Cyclocross in the middle,” revealed Van Aert after the X2O Trophy Koksijde.
That weekend break is a new aspect in his preparation. “Last year, I continued racing until the Training Camp, and then I found it was a bit too much for me. Hence the short break. It also ensures that I take a step forward in my conditioning. That is certainly measurable, and we will also analyze it.”
Different approach
A slightly different approach from last year. Van Aert posted a total of just over 600 km on Strava during the same 14-day period, about 20% less. What is even more different is that this time he completed two training sessions of over 4 hours and 150 kilometers. Last year his longest training ride during the Christmas period was 110 kilometers and about 3 hours.
Van Aert will stay with his teammates in Mutxamel until January 19. Vingegaard, Kuss, and Uijtdebroeks, among others, will also be there. He will add many kilometers to his training, mainly endurance training, with occasional interval sessions. Sometimes he will also do strength exercises, and on January 21, he will compete in Cyclocross in Benidorm. “I wanted to do this on my own, and it fits perfectly into my schedule,” said Van Aert.
UAE Team Emirates announced its lineup for the Tour Down Under, which will take place from January 16 to 21. Young talents Isaac del Toro and António Morgado will make their World Tour debut.
Diego Ulissi will be the captain
Ulissi has had great performances in the Tour Down Under before. In 2020, he secured second place in the general classification, trailing behind Richie Porte. In previous editions, he achieved third place (2014), fifth place (2017), fourth place (2018), and ninth place (2019). The only exception was in 2016 when he did not finish in the top ten, ending up in eleventh place.
