We waited a long time, but this year we finally got to see Wout Van Aert at the Giro d’Italia. He was supposed to ride in 2024, but that nasty crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen forced him to postpone his debut. In the end, it was worth the wait: from Albania to Rome, Wout delivered the kind of spectacle that only a handful of riders in the world are capable of.

Today, the Belgian star of Visma | Lease a Bike turns 31, providing the perfect occasion to look back and pay tribute to what he achieved in his first Giro. From coming close to the Maglia Rosa in Tirana, to his duels with another powerhouse like Mads Pedersen, through breakaways, selfless teamwork, and that all-heart attack after the Colle delle Finestre to pave the way for Simon Yates’ overall victory in pink.

And then, of course, came his victory in Siena on the Strade Bianche day, after a thrilling duel through the city streets with the big revelation Isaac Del Toro. Van Aert hadn’t raised his arms in nine months, but the white gravel roads brought his enthousiasm back, along with that killer instinct he’d been searching for. His celebration in Piazza del Campo has already gone down as iconic: a dust-covered embrace with his son George and a beaming smile lighting up Siena.

Wout has more than 50 wins to his name, including stage victories in all three Grand Tours, Milano–Sanremo, Strade Bianche, Amstel Gold Race, and two E3 Saxo Classics in Harelbeke. Yet the feeling remains he could have won even more, had he not raced in the same era as superstars like Tadej Pogačar and his eternal rival Mathieu van der Poel – opponents he has always faced head-on, without fear. Win or lose, Wout is destined to remain one of the most beloved riders of modern cycling. Once again, happy birthday Wout!