Four weeks after his triumph at Paris-Roubaix, Wout Van Aert has tasted victory once again: the Belgian competed in the most important gravel race in the Netherlands, the prestigious Marly Grav Race, in Limburg. The thirty-one-year-old Belgian crossed the finish line after a solo breakaway of over twenty kilometers, ahead of Nils Vandeputte and Rick Ottema.

Starting with the goal of having fun, Van Aert realized that his legs were in excellent shape. Sixty kilometers from the finish, he was part of a small leading group: on one of the most treacherous gravel sections, he seized the opportunity to accelerate. The multiple cyclocross world champion immediately created a considerable gap, constantly increasing his advantage. After a solo breakaway of 22 kilometers, Van Aert was able to celebrate victory with a triumphant gesture. «It was a really tough race, but at the same time I really enjoyed myself - said the winner at the end of the race -. My main objective today was to avoid any problems. I tried to stay in the front positions throughout the race to minimize risks. When we were finally down to six riders, everything became much simpler, because we no longer had to fight for positions. I felt I still had energy left and I tried to accelerate on one of the most difficult sections. It was a great moment».

And since success breeds success, Van Aert confessed that today's victory has made him want to participate in other competitions. «It was fun racing here. It's a completely different type of race from what I'm used to. It's fantastic to be able to compete in such a different race and put my off-road skills to good use. I will definitely participate in gravel races more often».