Wout van Aert lowers expectations for Marly Grav: "I just want to have fun"

South Limburg is today the setting for Marly Grav. This gravel race - part of the UCI Gravel World Series - features several top riders. The most prominent name is Wout van Aert. What can we expect from the Visma | Lease a Bike rider?

This is the Belgian's first race after his memorable victory at Paris-Roubaix. In the South Limburg gravel race, which starts and finishes near the Shimano Experience Center in Valkenburg, Van Aert competes against, among others, his compatriot Florian Vermeersch, who will start as the reigning gravel world champion wearing the rainbow jersey.

"I absolutely did not prepare for this last month, but as a WorldTour rider, you rarely get the chance to do something just for fun," Van Aert said this morning before the start in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws. "In every gravel race I have done so far, I had a lot of fun and I will try to do the same today."

"I am getting a bit older and now I no longer underestimate how important it is to enjoy yourself. The coming weekends, up to and including August, I am not available and busy with other things. Sometimes you just have to take advantage of that."

However, Van Aert tempers expectations. "My bike has only been ready for a few days. In the last few days, I have ridden a lot of gravel because I enjoy it, but I definitely have not trained to deliver a strong performance. I do not underestimate the level at all, I just hope to be in good shape and have fun."