Van Aert eagerly anticipates new season full of opportunities
# Wout van Aert Looks Ahead to Ambitious 2026 Cycling Season
Belgian cycling star Wout van Aert is gearing up for his eighth season with Team Visma | Lease a Bike, and he’s bringing a wealth of ambition to the table as he eyes some of the cycling calendar’s most prestigious events in 2026. The 31-year-old athlete is poised to make a significant impact, targeting success in the Spring Classics, the Tour de France, the Vuelta a España, and the World Championships in Canada.
“In the spring, I want to be there from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad all the way through to Roubaix. I want to show myself everywhere and seize every opportunity that comes my way,” Van Aert states. He notes that, unlike in previous years, he is excited to participate in the iconic Italian classics, Strade Bianche and Milan–San Remo. “After my victory in Siena during last year’s Giro d’Italia, I realised that Strade Bianche, despite the changes to the course, still suits my qualities very well. I consider Strade Bianche and Milan–San Remo to be among the most beautiful races of the season, so I definitely don’t want to miss them in 2026.”
Van Aert’s primary goals also include the legendary monuments of cycling: the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, and Milan–San Remo. “Of course, monuments like Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix and Milan–San Remo remain the main objectives of the season, but every other race I start also means a great deal to me,” he adds.
As the summer approaches, Van Aert will set his sights on the newly named Tour Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes (formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné) and the Tour de France. Reflecting on the Tour de France, he explains, “When I look at the Tour de France route, the team time trial immediately stands out to me. My first Tour in 2019 started with a team time trial in Brussels, and we won it. That’s still a very special memory for me. For the coming season, we’ll have a strong line-up and I also see a number of opportunities to go for stage wins myself.”
Van Aert’s ambitions do not stop at the Tour; he’s also aiming for redemption in the Vuelta a España after a disappointing exit in 2024 when he was forced to abandon while leading both the points and mountains classifications. “I still have unfinished business in the Vuelta,” he grins. “It was a painful exit in 2024, but I’ll return with a lot of motivation. As a team, we can certainly achieve something special there. In addition, the World Championships in Canada have been on my mind for a long time. I see the Vuelta as an ideal preparation to be at my best level there.”
“Winning a monument in 2026 would be the icing on the cake of my career, but above all I hope to be able to race a consistent season. The past few years have had their ups and downs, so my biggest dream is simply a carefree season. If that happens, the results will follow naturally,” Van Aert concludes.
As Van Aert embarks on this exciting journey, fans and fellow competitors alike will be eagerly watching to see how the season unfolds for this remarkable athlete.
