‘It’s the End of an Era’- Renowned Cyclist Parts Ways With His Coach After 12 Long Years

Wout van Aert and his legendary coach Marc Lamberts ended their 12-year-old partnership. The partnership between the two started when Wout was 17 years old. However, both men have immense respect for each other. Lambert decided it was the right time for him to take up a new challenge.

The Belgian rider will work with a different coach for the first time in the 2024 season. Lambert also made the switch to the German team, Primoz Roglic. Van Aert dedicated his victory on Monday to Lambert after learning about his new move.

Wout Van Aert-“It’s an End Of an Era”

Van Aert looked very emotional after hearing the news. The 29-year-old cyclist recently recorded his fifth win of the season at the Coppa Bernocchi. However, Wout has a lot of respect for Lambert, who helped him shape his career from a very young age. The duo has won many titles together in the past.

Cyclingnews shared some statements given by Wout van Aert about his coach: “Marc is very deep in my heart. I want the best for him and that is why I understand his decision. It was perhaps the last chance for him to change.”It’s not yet clear who will be my coach; we still have to discuss that,” Van Aert said. “But it will be different in many ways. Marc was my first and, so far, only trainer. I regret having to change.”

“When he told me the news, I was quite emotional,” Van Aert said. “For me, it’s the end of an era. Marc and I will always keep in touch and see each other. We’ve been through too much together to just say, ‘Thank you, that’s it’. So yes, this was on my mind when I left for Italy last weekend.”

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He shared his opinion regarding having a coach beside him:

“A coach is very important to me,” he said. “OK, I have my experience and I certainly don’t panic about Marc’s departure.

Great Coaches Build Elite Athletes

Coaches are the foundation of every athlete. Even a world-class cyclist like Van Aert feels the need for an excellent coach. Although Van Aert knows how to go about training in the off-season. He still feels a coach will help in his preparation. However, it’s tough to build a relationship with a new coach. The relationship between a coach and a player is very important.

Hopefully, Van Aert will find a replacement for Marc. It will be interesting to see who he teams up with for the upcoming season. Who do you think will coach Van Aert? Will he be able to replicate the same performance under the new coach? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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