Wout van Aert ‘even more confident’ for Tour of Flanders after 'extreme' Dwars door Vlaanderen disappointment
Updated 04/04/2025 at 20:48 GMT+1
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Wout van Aert insisted his confidence had not been negatively affected by his Dwars door Vlaanderen showing on Wednesday. The Belgian was speaking ahead of the Tour of Flanders, which is live on TNT Sports and discovery+. It will feature two of the world’s most dominant riders, Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar. Van Aert, meanwhile, will be hoping to win the first home Monument of his career.
Highlights: Powless stuns Van Aert to take ‘greatest win of his career’
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wout van Aert insisted his confidence had not been negatively affected by his Dwars door Vlaanderen showing on Wednesday.
Van Aert lost out to Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) in Waregem, after cramping up while challenging the American to a sprint finish.
Despite admitting his "extreme disappointment" at the time, the Visma-Lease a Bike rider has since stressed his confidence has not been negatively affected by the setback.
Speaking ahead of the Tour of Flanders, Van Aert said: "My confidence was certainly not affected on Wednesday; in fact, the opposite.
"I am here with more confidence than last week. I felt much better than in the previous races.
"Two days later, I feel much better again.
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Van Aert says he is ‘fully responsible’ for Visma defeat - ‘I was too selfish’
Video credit: TNT Sports
"We had a group debriefing about the race in the evening, but this time it took a bit longer, of course. We made mistakes that we can't make again. But from Thursday morning, we were already looking ahead."
On Sunday, Van Aert will be up against two of the world’s most dominant riders, Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar, with the race live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
The 30-year-old Belgian said that while the pair are "big favourites", he hopes to challenge them and win his first-ever home Monument, with his last and only Monument victory coming in the 2020 Milan-San Remo.
"You'll need a lot to be up there with them," Van Aert said. "They're clearly two big favourites. They showed a lot in San Remo and the other races, so I hope to feel my best legs on Sunday and to be up there with them."
On whether he was extra-motivated to win the Tour of Flanders, Van Aert continued: "It is not an obsession. I have said that many times. It is a big goal, as it is for many other riders."
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How to watch the Tour of Flanders 2025
You can watch all the action from the Tour of Flanders 2025 live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Coverage of the Men's Elite race begins at 09:00 Sunday, April 6 on TNT Sports 1, with the Women's Elite race coverage from 13:45 on TNT Sports 2.
TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.
You can subscribe to TNT Sports through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
Stream all the top cycling action, including the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, live and on-demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
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