Wout van Aert has collected another placement at the Brabant Arrow: if someone thinks the Belgian is disappointed, in reality, this is absolutely not the case. Van Aert admitted that he wanted to win today, but also that he lost to someone who was stronger than him, and for this reason, there is neither resentment nor disappointment, but simply an acceptance of the result obtained.

"Actually, I was already at my limit when we started the sprint. It wasn't a gift to be on Remco's wheel."

Yesterday, on the eve of the Brabant Arrow, the Visma-Lease a Bike champion had clearly said that he was aiming for victory, but unfortunately things did not go as he hoped, and in the last 300 meters, he was unable to challenge Evenepoel in the sprint.

"Of course I hoped to win, but unfortunately, I had nothing left. Remco slowly killed me in the last hour. It was already difficult to resist in the last lap of the circuit."

Evenepoel is an extraordinary champion, but no one could have imagined that he would race to win already today. Van Aert had to settle for second place on his wheel.

"I felt good and contributed to making the race. I was surprised that there was a break in the group so early. For me, it would have been better if there were more riders, because it's never a gift when you have to ride on Remco's wheel. I hoped he would stop after the last climb, so I could have an explosive sprint, but Remco continued and went straight ahead. In the last lap, I had already understood that Remco was stronger and he proved it in the sprint."

Van Aert always races for victory, and after a start to the season where he had to settle for many placements, today he was certain that victory would come. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and the Flemish rider had to settle for the second step of the podium.

"I'm not too disappointed. As I said, we were aiming for something more. In this situation, I hoped to beat Remco in the sprint, but apparently I no longer have a valid sprint. I would also like to know the answer to why my sprint is no longer effective and hasn't been seen this spring. We haven't worked differently. It's something we need to evaluate, I have no idea what is happening. The only explanation I see today is that I suffered in the last kilometers and was already beyond the limit when I entered the final straight to sprint with Remco."