World and European cycling championships lose a major player

The World Cycling Championships, which will experience their 2025 edition at the end of September in Rwanda (an absolute first for an African country), will not see Wout van Aert at the starting ribbons. The Belgian rider from Team Visma-Lease a Bike has in fact made his forfeit official, explaining that he wants to devote himself to other commitments in the context of a very busy schedule.

Van Aert, who is renouncing not only the rainbow event but also the European Championships to be held in early October in France, justified his withdrawal as follows: “It is important to continue setting meaningful goals for the last part of the season, but at the same time, after such an intense season, it is crucial not to overdo it”.

The Belgian will participate Aug. 20-24 in the Deutschland Tour, Aug. 31 in the Bretagne Classic-Ouest de France, Sept. 12 in the GP de Quebec, Sept. 14 in the GP de Montreal, and Sept. 20 in the Super 8 Classic. A series of commitments that will see him among the favorites, at the end of which Van Aert will take a break before tackling the very last races of the season.

We will therefore have to wait at least another year to see Van Aert attempt the’assault on the gold, which has still eluded him on the road as much at the rainbow level as at the continental level: at the World Championships he has in fact won four silvers (Imola 2020 time trial and road race, Flanders 2021 time trial, Glasgow 2023 road race), at the European Championships one silver (Drenthe 2023 road race) and two bronze medals (Glasgow 2018 road race, Drenthe 2023 time trial).