In a gripping showdown at De Brabantse Pijl, Wout van Aert conceded that Remco Evenepoel displayed superior strength and speed, leaving him questioning his own sprint capabilities as Evenepoel claimed victory.

Van Aert, still seeking his first win of 2025, acknowledged his struggles in the demanding cobbled Classics, finishing fourth in both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Despite needing a win more than his Belgian rival, he graciously accepted defeat, embracing Evenepoel at the finish line.

"I really hoped to come out on top, especially heading into a sprint finish," Van Aert reflected in a Dutch post-race interview. "But I just didn’t have anything left. Remco slowly wore me down in that final hour. By the time we reached the sprint, I was already running on fumes."

After a relentless pace set by teammate Tiesj Benoot with 55 kilometers to go, Van Aert launched an attack during the initial climbs. Evenepoel quickly joined, and together they opened a dramatic lead of over 30 seconds.

However, the race saw unexpected competition as Joe Blackmore from Israel-Premier Tech managed to join them briefly, only to be dropped by an explosive move from Evenepoel on the final climb.

"I felt good and helped to shatter the race right open, but I was surprised at how quickly the pack fragmented," Van Aert stated.

"I wish there had been more riders for company, as it wasn’t easy keeping up with Remco’s pace. I hoped he’d ease off things after the last climb, setting up an explosive sprint, but he kept pushing, which turned it into a prolonged effort."

In March, Van Aert opted for altitude training, skipping prominent races like Milan-San Remo. Though he earned a commendable second in Dwars door Vlaanderen and battled through to fourth at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, he finds himself questioning his current form.

With only the Amstel Gold race left to secure a spring Classic win before shifting focus to the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, doubt looms over Van Aert’s sprinting prowess, which has historically served him well.

"I’m not overly disappointed, although we aimed for more," he explained. "I had hoped for a different result in the sprint, but it seems like my sprint has vanished this spring. I'd like to understand why that is. It’s not as if our training has drastically changed. We need to figure this out, as I honestly can’t pinpoint the issue. The only conclusion I see is that I was suffering in the closing kilometers, and went into the sprint already on the limit."