Belgian cyclist Wout van Aert has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming only the third rider in history to win the Tour of Britain cycle race for the second time. In the final
stage of the race on Sunday, he withstood numerous attacks to secure a narrow overall victory.
Van Aert crossed the finish line in Caerphilly, South Wales, as the runner-up, trailing stage winner Carlos Rodriguez of Spain by just 11 seconds. However, his consistent performance throughout the race earned him the overall title, finishing 3 seconds ahead of Norway's Tobias Johannessen.
Having previously claimed victory in this week-long race back in 2021, Wout van Aert now joins the exclusive club of two-time champions, alongside Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen and Dutch rider Lars Boom. Fellow Belgian Kamiel Bonneu wrapped up the event in 10th place.
Reflecting on his hard-fought win, Van Aert expressed his relief, stating, "It wasn't easy at all. I have to thank all my team, not just this week but especially today because Rodriguez really made life difficult for us. I thought it wasn't going to be possible to win the overall, but teammates Steven Kruijswijk and Nathan Van Hooydonck were able to bring me back and really saved the day. I gave it my all right up to the finish."
The race encountered an unexpected interruption when a traffic accident occurred along the route, leading to a suspension of the competition. Riders had to endure over 30 minutes of idling in wet conditions before racing could resume. Photo by G.Garitan, Wikimedia commons.