Wout van Art wins Crystal Bike Award

Road
Wout van Art wins Crystal Bike Award

Wout van Aert was named the best Belgian rider of 2020, winning the Kristallen Fiets (Crystal Bicycle Award).

The Jumbo Visma rider, who has previously finished second, third, and fourth, was a convincing winner in the eyes of the 131-member jury of journalists, national coaches, and former winners.

In fact, 2019 winner Remco Evenpole (Deceuninck-QuickStep) was the only rider to come close to Van Aert in what was something of a two-horse race; third place went to Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), who finished in a tie for third place with a second-place finish by Lotto Soudal.

Van Aert had a sensational season, achieving his first Monument in Milan-San Remo and then winning the Classic in Strade Bianche. He was also runner-up in the Tour of Flanders and the World Championships road race and time trial.

He won tough sprints at the Criterium du Dauphiné and the Tour de France, but it was his domestiques in stage races that made his mark.

Van Aert's career-threatening injury in the Tour de France the previous year was often forgotten, but his comeback during the cyclo-cross season, when he finished fourth in the World Championships, was certainly recognized by the multiple-discipline voting system.

"This trophy is not a complete surprise to me, as it was a very special year. But that doesn't mean, of course, that this trophy isn't as beautiful as it is," Van Aert said at the ceremony in Antwerp.

As for his own highlights of the season, "My mind is balanced between Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo.

Even though Evenpoel had to settle for second place this year, things might have been different had he not ended the season with a horrific crash at Il Lombardia. The 20-year-old won every stage race he entered and was one of the favorites to win the Giro d'Italia, which would have been his Grand Tour debut.

Categories