Wout van Aert survived a collision with a concrete mixer by an aggressive driver: “Unfortunately, something like this happens almost every day on the road”

After a much-discussed second place finish in Gent-Wevelgem, Wout van Aert completed a 138km training ride from Herentals’ home base to the area around Eindhoven on Tuesday. Former rider Jan Bakelantis and cyclo-cross rider Daan Soete, constant training companions, accompanied the Jumbo-Visma leader to the Netherlands. Somewhere on a transnational track, things went wrong, say the Bakelants at Wielerclub Wattage.

“Since the bike path on the road is not adapted for speeds of 40-45 km / h, we drove on the road. Suddenly I heard the horn of a concrete mixer passing in front of us. As befits a real road pig, the driver of the mixer honked shut the door. Didn’t Wout had no choice but to push Daan Soete aside.Anders was our wild benefactor (From Gent-Wevelgem, ed.) Maybe he ascended to heaven. Wout was about to die. He was almost literally under a concrete mixer, it was really awful.”

Muslim messages

Meanwhile, Van Aert himself responded to the incident at the Jumbo-Visma press conference in the run-up to the Tour of Flanders.

I got many concerned messages that weren’t really necessary. Unfortunately, this happens almost every day when riding a bike on public roads. It certainly wasn’t safe, but he almost died? Of course we got hit by the truck that cut us off, but that was all there was to it. I was shocked for the second time when I heard that Jan (The Bakers, ed.) said it on the podcast.”

The “ride” that the trio completes: