Finding Focus: Wout van Aert Prepares for a Balanced Spring
Wout van Aert is gearing up for the 2022 road season with a newfound sense of calm and purpose. After a brief cyclocross campaign,he embarked on two intensive training camps – two weeks in Alicante and three weeks in Tenerife – allowing him to approach the spring with unprecedented tranquility.
“I’ve never been able to prepare for spring this relaxed before,” Van Aert shared. “I’m exactly where I wanted to be at this point.”
His schedule, even amidst the demands of media obligations, reflects this focused approach. A recent Friday saw him dedicating an afternoon to interviews from his room at the Hotel Parador on teide, followed by a final training block before returning home.
“It was a whirlwind of interviews, about an hour and a half to two hours,” he chuckled.”Then, back to training.My three weeks in Tenerife will be over on Monday, and I’ll fly home. We’ll meet with the team again on Thursday, and on Friday, we’ll scout the Omloop finale.”
Van Aert’s preparation has been remarkably smooth. He attributes this to a well-structured plan that weathered even the disruption of a COVID-19 infection during the Alicante training camp.
“Everything went according to plan after that,” he explained. “We had a nice period at home, and then I started the real preparation on February 1st here in Tenerife.”
The team implemented strict COVID-19 protocols, including initial group training and frequent testing, to minimize the risk of infection.
“We’ve been fortunate so far,” van Aert acknowledged. “We’ve been here for a week with the same group of ten riders. If you arrive healthy and test negative, the chances of getting infected are relatively low. We have no contact with tourists, our dining area is well-protected, and besides cycling, eating, and resting, we don’t do much. We’re living more safely here than anywhere else.”
He believes it’s time to shift the focus from constant testing and view COVID-19 as another illness athletes must navigate.
“I’m not a virologist, but I think it’s time to move on from the testing obsession and treat COVID-19 like other diseases,” he stated. “Of course, you have to isolate if you get sick. But you see how easily the virus spreads in the early races. This situation is unsustainable.”
Van Aert is training alongside nine teammates in tenerife, including fellow classics specialists Tosh Van Der Sande, Tiesj Benoot, nathan Van Hooydonck, Mike Teunissen, and Christophe Laporte. They are joined by stage race riders Steven Kruijswijk, Rohan Dennis, Jonas Vingegaard, and roommate Primož Roglič.
While they train together,individual schedules dictate the intensity and focus of each session.
“We leave as a group, but everyone follows their own plan,” Van Aert explained. “It only really splits up when we return to the hotel. It’s logical, considering we frequently enough have to climb to 2,000 meters just to get back.”
As for his own training, Van Aert emphasizes a balanced approach, ensuring he challenges himself across different disciplines.”I don’t push myself to the limit every day,” he clarified. “Don’t worry, I still train with the climbers occasionally.”
This measured approach reflects Van Aert’s desire for a more consistent performance throughout the spring, aiming to minimize the fluctuations that have characterized his previous campaigns.
“hopefully, I will be just a little less changeable at the end of the spring,” he concluded.
Building a Foundation for Spring Success: Wout van Aert’s Tailored Training Approach
Wout van Aert’s preparation for the upcoming cycling season diverges from the customary model employed by many of his teammates. While others prioritize building a broad base of fitness early in the year, van Aert’s cyclocross background necessitates a more nuanced approach.
“My training structure is unique because of my cyclocross commitments,” van Aert explains. “The intensity ramps up faster for me, so I need to be careful not to peak too early. This year, I focused on endurance and sprint work during my training camp in Alicante to build a solid foundation for the spring classics.”
This deliberate strategy aims to ensure van Aert reaches peak performance later in the season, culminating in races like Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix.
A Shift in Focus: Prioritizing the Road
A notable change for van Aert this year is the decision to forego further cyclocross competition after the Belgian championships. This shift allows for a more focused approach to road racing, with tangible benefits already evident.
“In previous years, I would frequently enough rush to reach peak fitness for the cyclocross World Cup,” van Aert reveals. “This year, we avoided that intense interval training and rather focused on accumulating more training hours. As a result, I arrived in Tenerife with a much stronger base fitness and a calmer mindset.”
This change has not only improved his physical preparedness but also provided a mental advantage.
“Previously, it was a constant race against time to be ready for the cyclocross season,” van Aert recalls. “This year, the process was much smoother, and I hope this will translate to greater consistency throughout the spring classics.”
Learning from Experience: Optimizing Performance
Reflecting on the 2021 season, van Aert acknowledges the importance of pacing oneself throughout a long campaign.
“While I was physically capable in Paris-Roubaix, the cumulative fatigue of a demanding season took its toll,” he admits. “looking back, I should have approached the Tour of Britain with less intensity, allowing for further development during the race itself. I was already at peak fitness when I arrived, which ultimately led to burnout in subsequent races.”
This experience has provided valuable lessons for the upcoming season.”In contrast, 2020 demonstrated the benefits of a longer rest period followed by a gradual build-up,” van Aert notes.”This year, I’m aiming for a similar approach, with the goal of peaking at the right time for the key races.”
Van Aert’s tailored training program,informed by past experiences and a deep understanding of his own body,sets the stage for a perhaps dominant spring campaign.
A Refocused Spring: Wout van Aert on Jumbo-Visma’s Collective Strength
Wout van Aert is gearing up for a spring campaign focused on teamwork and strategic brilliance. While he acknowledges the allure of overall classification victories, his primary goal is to contribute to Jumbo-Visma’s success in the prestigious one-day classics.
Van Aert’s approach to Paris-Nice reflects this shift in focus. Unlike his all-out pursuit of the general classification in Tirreno-Adriatico last year, he plans to prioritize stage wins and contribute to the team’s success in the time trial.This measured approach, he believes, is crucial for conserving energy and peaking for the demanding classics that follow.”It’s about finding the right balance,” Van Aert explains. “I want to make a meaningful contribution to the team, but I also need to be at my best for the classics. Paris-Nice is a stepping stone, not the ultimate goal.”
the arrival of new talent has considerably bolstered Jumbo-Visma’s spring roster. Van Aert is notably impressed by the progress of Mike Teunissen, who has shown remarkable advancement in training. This strengthened core, coupled with meticulous tactical planning and analysis of past races, has instilled a sense of confidence within the team.
“We’re not just a collection of strong riders,” Van Aert emphasizes. “We’ve worked hard to develop a cohesive unit, both on and off the bike. we’ve studied past races, identified our strengths and weaknesses, and developed a clear strategy for the classics.”
While Van Aert acknowledges the impressive performances of riders like Bryan Coquard and Yves Lampaert in the early season, he recognizes that the true picture will emerge after the opening weekend of classics.
“It’s still early days,” he cautions. “We need to see how everyone performs under pressure. The classics are a different beast altogether, and experience plays a crucial role.”
with a renewed focus on teamwork, strategic planning, and a roster brimming with talent, Jumbo-Visma is poised to make a significant impact on the spring classics.Van Aert, while aiming for individual success, is fully committed to the team’s collective pursuit of glory.
## Wout van Aert: Finding Focus for a Balanced Spring
Wout van Aert, the Belgian cycling star, is taking a new, measured approach too his 2022 racer preparation. He’s emphasizing balance and consistency, aiming to avoid the peaks and valleys that have sometimes characterized his performance in past seasons [3].
After a brief cyclocross campaign, van Aert engaged in two intensive training camps – two weeks in Alicante followed by three weeks in Tenerife. This structure allowed him to enter the spring feeling prepared and mentally calm, a stark contrast to previous years where he felt rushed []. Van Aert’s preparation was not without a small setback; he contracted COVID-19 during the Alicante camp. However, his well-structured plan facilitated a quick recovery, and by February 1st, he was back on track in Tenerife.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present challenges for athletes, but van Aert believes it’s time to shift focus away from constant testing and treat it like other illnesses.
He acknowledges the virus’s contagious nature but stresses the need for a more enduring approach []..
Van aert’s training in Tenerife involves a mix of solo and group sessions,tailored to individual needs. while joining up with teammates like Tosh Van Der Sande, Tiesj Benoot, and primož Roglič, he still prioritizes his own training plan, ensuring a balanced approach across disciplines.
This year, van Aert consciously chose to forego further cyclocross competition after the belgian championships, focusing instead on building a solid base fitness for the spring classics.This strategic shift allows him to avoid early peaking and approach races like Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix in peak condition []..
Reflecting on the 2021 season, van Aert recognized the importance of pacing himself through a long campaign. While physically capable, fatigue played a role in his performance at Paris-Roubaix. looking ahead, he wants to learn from past experiences and ensure greater consistency throughout the season.
With this disciplined approach, Wout van Aert appears poised to be a dominant force in the upcoming cycling season. His focus, balance, and experience are likely to translate into remarkable performances on the road.
