Wout van Aert has been talking about the mental and emotional challenges he faced following two very heavy crashes in 2024, saying he found it difficult to fully commit in some races this year for fear of falling off again.
“That was a problem all spring, I think. Not always, but at times,” the Belgian said. “I didn’t dare to throw myself in, and I was torn between being happy that I didn’t crash, yet frustrated that I wasn’t in position. I found that just riding along didn’t make me happy.”
“When you’re younger, when you’re 20 years old, you don’t even really think [about] crashing,” said Van Aert. “It’s not even in the back of your mind. But then after a couple of injuries, you understand what it’s like. It’s normal that you carry this with you. Every injury gets more complicated, and it doesn’t help when you get a family and have children.”
“I still remember the moment I saw Pogačar next to me on Montmartre and it felt like a setback that he would be competing. Looking back, I’m incredibly happy he participated. It gave that victory so much more prestige.”
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