Let's go back in time to the last weekend of February. Van Aert raced Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne for the first time and had only one goal: to win the race. The Belgian leader of Team Visma | Lease a Bike did just that. Unlike previous years, Van Aert traveled to Tenerife after the opening weekend to start another solid training block on the Teide to get his classics season back on track.

"The last three weeks have gone well", Van Aert explains from his training location. "I have spent many hours in a quiet and beautiful environment and have completed my entire schedule. Of course, it is always exciting to try something new. I have often responded well to a training camp at altitude. I am confident that it will be the same this time."

Sports director Niermann: "Wout has not raced many races yet, but he was strong on the opening weekend. We expect him to come back well from his altitude training. After Paris-Roubaix, we will know if we made the right choice."

A first test full of cobbles and challenging climbs awaits Team Visma | Lease a Bike on Friday at the E3 Saxo Classic. "E3 is very similar to the Tour of Flanders", Van Aert says. "It's a lovely race. I'm curious to see how strong I am after the altitude training. I have been feeling good all winter and have kept my biggest goals in mind."

Van Aert will be without teammate Christophe Laporte in the Flemish classic. The Frenchman has not fully recovered from the illness that forced him to withdraw from Milano-Sanremo. "It's a big loss for us. Hopefully, a few days of rest will do him good for the rest of the classics season", Van Aert says.

Niermann: "But even without Christophe, we still have an excellent team at the start." The sports director is pleased to have a fully fit Tiesj Benoot available again for the E3 Saxo Classic. It turned out that during the Opening weekend a small fracture in his sacrum, sustained in a crash during the Tour of the Algarve, was still affecting him.

Van Aert is looking forward to wearing a number again on Friday. And not just any number: the Belgian has won the last two editions of the E3 Saxo Classic and will be riding with the number one. "I have been working hard the last few months. It should pay off this month. I'm really looking forward to E3 and everything that follows."

Gent-Wevelgem is not on Van Aert's agenda. With his men returning as defending champions of both races, the sports director knows that expectations are high for the upcoming editions. However, he is reluctant to use the term 'favourites' for Gent-Wevelgem. "We are riding Gent-Wevelgem without Wout because it does not fit his schedule. We think a few more days of rest and riding Dwars door Vlaanderen will be better preparation for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix."

Olav Kooij, who finished fourteenth on his debut at Milan-Sanremo last weekend, will be the leader on Sunday. "Olav has developed well over the last few years and shows great things. He was already outstanding at Gent-Wevelgem last year. He has a good chance in the upcoming edition, especially if the race turns into a sprint with a big group. But we will not be the overwhelming favourites on Sunday", Niermann concludes.