Ever since then, the goal has been to win the race and point to the sky, to Michael, says van Aert.
Michael Goolaerts died of a heart attack at age 23 during Paris-Roubaix eight years ago.
I think about him often, especially this time of year, says van Aert, who pointed to the sky as he crossed the finish line and then burst into tears.
It's nice to be able to dedicate the victory to his family.
The 250-kilometer bicycle race is called "Hell in the North" because it is run partly on cobblestones and on muddy roads.
