Jumbo-Visma confirm Van Aert for Milan-San Remo, Flanders, Paris-Roubaix

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The Jumbo-Visma WorldTour team held their 2019 team presentation at Jumbo headquarters in Veghel on Friday, confirming the Spring Classics schedule for newcomer Wout van Aert, who will race three Monuments in his first two months with the squad.

Van Aert's attorneys finally untangled his contract situation this month, clearing the way for the cyclo-cross World Champion to sign with Jumbo-Visma one year early. Van Aert was under contract with Veranda's Willems Crelan, but the team merged with Roompot for 2019. The negotiations went through the Belgian legal system and the UCI, and was at last resolved this week.

Van Aert appeared with the team to show off his new jersey and Bianchi Oltre XR4. The team announced he would not race Strade Bianche - where last year he finished third - but added Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, which he will race one day after his March 1 contract begins.

The 24-year-old will then tackle an ambitious Classics schedule, including Milan-San Remo, the E3 BinckBank Classic (formerly E3 Harelbeke), and Gent-Wevelgem.

Van Aert will then tackle back-to-back Monuments with the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix before closing out the early season block with the Amstel Gold Race. It is all part of the plan to build on Van Aert's promising top 10 in Flanders this year.

"I would like to develop myself further. I am someone who is always looking for a new challenge," Van Aert said. "Last year, I rode well in the classics. The hunger for more has become very big."

All of this comes one month after Van Aert will defend his title in the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in his current Cibel-Cebon colours.