After per week of racing at Paris-Good during which Jumbo-Visma‘s power in depth was evident repeatedly, the standard of the Dutch as soon as once more proved important on the ultimate stage as stage 4 winner Wout van Aert got here to the rescue of general chief Primož Roglič on the Col d’Eze.
The Belgian helped his crew chief in combating again towards a possible race-winning assault from Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco), within the course of sealing victory at a race Roglič misplaced on the ultimate day a yr in the past.
After a troublesome day of racing, Roglič as soon as once more carried out his trademark ‘Telemark’ celebration on the rostrum, as soon as once more clad within the yellow jersey. Van Aert was a part of the rostrum ceremony, too, taking residence the inexperienced factors jersey he has worn since stage 3.
He provides that factors classification wins to 2 on the Critérium du Dauphiné and one at Tirreno-Adriatico final yr. After the end, he was questioned on the probabilities of including the identical prize on the Tour de France to his spectacular palmarès.
“After Friday’s stage, I used to be trying good for profitable the factors jersey and in case you can take it, it is at all times good,” he mentioned. “I received it within the Dauphiné and Tirreno-Adriatico, and now in Paris-Good, too.
“Perhaps this summer season we’ll attempt to win it within the large one within the Tour,” he added.
Ought to he be free to battle for inexperienced within the sprints this July, Van Aert will definitely be performing a balancing act between taking his personal probabilities and supporting Roglič. What’s for sure, although, is that the Tour will mark a resumption of a surprisingly little-seen partnership, the pair having solely raced collectively on the Tour and Amstel Gold Race in 2021.
Talking within the post-race press convention, Roglič was requested whether or not the race was a testing floor, of kinds, for the Tour in that regard.
“Undoubtedly,” he replied. “As a result of I at all times mentioned that guys I used to be right here with are fairly an enormous a part of who goes to the Tour.
“It is fairly an enormous check for us, eh? In all types of conditions, circumstances, and methods – to strive issues out and see the way it works. We confirmed some good racing collectively this week.”
Earlier than ideas of July, although, Van Aert has a string of objectives unfold out throughout the spring season. His subsequent one comes up simply subsequent week, with the duty being so as to add one other Milan-San Remo title to his 2020 victory, earlier than returning to the cobbles by way of to the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
Roglič will accompany him on the beginning line on Saturday, amid expectations that the Dutch squad and UAE Crew Emirates – led by Tadej Pogačar and Matteo Trentin – will try to blow the race aside far sooner than the same old flashpoint of the Poggio.
He insisted that he is there to assist Van Aert, he insisted, whereas additionally cheekily throwing in a joke about he and his compatriot Pogačar attacking on the Cipressa –the climb over 20 kilometres from the end from the place no person has launched since Gabriele Colombo in 1996.
“Sure, positively I am there to be the assist for Wout,” Roglič mentioned. “That is why I am going there.
“Initially, I believe we have to come to the Poggio. It is 300km nearly to the Poggio after which the second factor is that you just nonetheless want the legs to have the ability to do one thing. So hopefully I am there.
“Additionally possibly with [Pogačar] we are able to already go on Cipressa, no?” Roglič joked. “We’ll see. It will likely be for positive a tough and difficult day.”
Van Aert, in the meantime, mentioned that he left the race feeling good and can now take a brief relaxation earlier than getting again to it for the Classics.
“I depart this race with an excellent feeling,” he mentioned. “It was a extremely exhausting stage race and really it was very nice to really feel these legs on the finish of a tough eight-day race. It is at all times good for the arrogance.
“Now the work is finished, to illustrate, and it is about resting. Hopefully after some days of relaxation I will maintain the shape by way of the Classics.”
