Wout van Aert has another tragic Dwars door Vlaanderen, but shows promise for Flanders

Wout van Aert does win bike races, I promise. Just last year, the Belgian won stages at the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, and has raised his arms in victory 51 times in his career.

However, the Visma-Lease a Bike rider has also finished second 49 times, and third 36 times. He has finished second twice at Dwars door Vlaanderen, first last year in bizarre circumstances, and now this season, when he had his heart broken just 150 metres from the finish line. There doesn’t seem to be another rider like Van Aert when it comes to tragedy, and that’s part of what makes him such a likeable rider. He is also incredibly unlucky.