No one gets handed the Tour of Flanders. Not Mathieu van der Poel. Not Tadej Pogačar. And certainly not Wout van Aert, no matter how badly Belgium wants it.

This Sunday, the 109th Ronde hits the cobbles with pressure boiling over. Van der Poel is hunting a fourth title. Pogačar is back for a second. But van Aert? Still chasing his first. Still haunted by what could have been.

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Midweek Meltdown, Weekend Resolve

And here’s the twist—van Aert isn’t running scared. Two days after cramping and crumbling in what should have been an “easy” win at Dwars door Vlaanderen, the Visma star showed up to his Friday press conference calmer, cooler—and somehow more confident than ever.

“My confidence was certainly not affected on Wednesday; in fact, the opposite,” van Aert said. “I am here with more confidence than last week. I felt much better than in the previous races.”

His performance midweek sparked criticism. The Belgian media took the gloves off. Fans wondered if he’d peak too late—or not at all. But Wout didn’t flinch. “We had a group debriefing about the race in the evening,” he said. “We made mistakes that we can't make again. But from Thursday morning, we were already looking ahead.”

No Sentiment, No Guarantees

That means looking squarely at two men—Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar—who’ve made it very clear they don’t care about Belgian sentimentality. They’re here to win, and win big.

“You'll need a lot to be up there with them,” van Aert admitted. “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.”

There was no bravado in his voice, no wild predictions. But also no defeat. Even when asked about sacrificing himself for a teammate, Wout kept the door open, but didn’t commit to playing second fiddle.

“It is not an obsession,” he said about winning Flanders. “It is a big goal, as it is for many other riders.”

The Ghost Van Aert Can’t Shake

That may be true—but for Belgium, and for Wout, it’s more than a goal. It’s a ghost that keeps reappearing. His résumé is already stacked: San Remo, Strade Bianche, multiple Tour stages. But Flanders is the one he—and everyone else—feels he has to win.

“Of course I feel extremely proud of my achievements in my career so far,” van Aert said, “but in the end, two days before the Tour of Flanders or before a big race, it doesn't help me to look back to what I've already achieved. You just look at what's coming.”

He’ll line up with Tiesj Benoot, Dylan van Baarle, and Matteo Jorgenson—one of the strongest teams on paper. But that paper doesn’t win races. Not after Wednesday.

“I think Flanders is a pretty honest race,” Jorgenson said. “Usually the best rider wins.”

No More Waiting: Van Aert In Flanders

The challenge now is clear: don’t make the same mistake twice. Don’t wait. Don’t hesitate. As Visma sports director Grischa Niermann put it bluntly, “When Tiesj, Matteo and Wout are going to go to the finish with Mathieu on Sunday, I will tell them to attack.”

It’s Flanders. You get one shot. And if Wout wants to write the story he’s always dreamed of—it starts Sunday.