Wout van Aert Re-Signs with Jumbo Visma

The best rider in the world right now, Wout van Aert, has renewed his contract with Team Jumbo Visma after weeks of speculation that a move to Team INEOS was imminent.

Van Aert’s contract was due to expire, and speculation was rife about his future, even hinting at an early exit. However, rumors of his move to INEOS now appear to have been exaggerated as a bargaining chip. With football super-agent Jorge Mendes moving into the peloton, expect to see more of this nonsense from here on out.

The Belgian’s contract now runs through 2024, which is somewhat optimistic given how fragile cycling team sponsorships tend to be, but certainly represents a major commitment on the parts of both rider and team.

Van Aert has developed tremendously since joining Jumbo Visma, and his ability to excel anywhere on the bike has rapidly made his a fan favorite. Coming off the back of a fantastic road season that included wins in Milan-San Remo, the Strade Bianche, and two Tour stages, he switched back to the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, where he enters the final round at the end of this month in the overall lead.

“I really wanted to extend because I have become a lot better with this team. I think everyone has seen that I have made huge steps forward as a rider in recent years. I was always in shape when I needed to. I owe a lot to the team to be able to work towards my goals. The decision that I wanted to re-sign was was made pretty pretty quickly in my mind. […] I am very happy that I can pursue further successes in this familiar environment. I feel very good here and the past years have shown that I can do justice here. I don’t have to explain to you that there was more interest in me, but I have never had talks with another team. My goal was to extend the contract. We have become the best team in the world.”

Wout van Aert

“This is fantastic news for everyone on our squad and for our sponsors. Wout has turned out to be a great trendsetter in cycling, a star I would say. He is someone who makes the sport more fun to watch. It is marvelous that he does this as a rider of Team Jumbo-Visma and that he will ride in yellow and black for years to come.”

Merijn Zeeman, Directeur Sportif

We think he’ll target the green jersey in the 2021 Tour de France. And if we’re right about that, then he’ll probably also win it. Have a cheeky punt on that, if you like.