So close to however thus far. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) got here inside a whisker of getting his Vuelta a España debut off to the most effective of begins within the opening time trial at Lisbon however as an alternative needed to accept third place, with a attainable crack on the lead within the phases to return as a significant comfort prize.
Final to begin within the 12 kilometres ultra-flat TT check alongside the shoreline of the River Tagus, Van Aert managed to safe the quickest time by the mid-way checkpoint, one second quicker than Czech Nationwide TT champion Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek).
Nonetheless, the ultimate phase within the uncovered race didn’t see Van Aert keep his benefit. He dropped off the tempo barely, repeating his third place of the current Olympic Video games TT, fractions of a second behind Vacek and two seconds behind stage winner and opening Vuelta chief Brandon McNulty (UAE Crew Emirates).
Van Aert remained upbeat, nevertheless, telling Eurosport and different media afterwards that he had “every thing to play for” within the phases to return. And as one of many prime sprinters within the 2024 Vuelta a España subject, even a 3rd place time bonus at a stage end, price 4 seconds within the Spanish Grand Tour, may simply be sufficient to place Van Aert into purple, maybe as quickly as Sunday.
“I didn’t really feel nice, I simply felt good, however too quickly within the TT it began to harm,” Van Aert mentioned afterwards, “and at that time, it was nonetheless an extended method to the end.”
“I don’t know actually what the total result’s, I believe I completed fairly quick [far back], however my feeling was not what I hoped for.”
The final rider down the beginning ramp, Van Aert mentioned that he was glad he opted to begin so late within the day, given the wind was dropping just a little by that time. On the very least, he mentioned, “There was much less wind than within the recon.”
“It was the precise resolution, it was only a disgrace to not end it off. But when we couldn’t end any nearer as a result of the legs weren’t nice, we nonetheless ought to be blissful.”
As for what the longer term now holds, Van Aert has promised to battle for stage wins all through the Vuelta and as he mentioned “I’m additionally desirous about the purple jersey. So if I’m nonetheless shut I’ll give it a shot within the subsequent few days, for positive we’ll go for it within the dash.”
When knowledgeable that there was solely a margin of two seconds between himself and McNulty, Van Aert responded, “Then there’s every thing to play for. That’s nice.”
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