Cycling fans will have to wait a bit longer to see Wout van Aert back in action on the cross circuit. The Visma – Lease a Bike rider is set to make his return in late December, according to team manager Jan Boven in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.
Boven explained, “Wout is heading to Spain for two-and-a-half weeks of training. After that, we will meet to discuss his next steps, but he won’t resume racing until after our team training camp, which wraps up on Dec. 19.”
Similar season as last?
Last year, Van Aert kicked off his cross season on Dec. 9 with the Exact Cross in Essen. Boven noted, “That timeframe was also a possibility this year, but it would only include races in Dublin and Sardinia, which are long trips for just one event.”
Just Wout van Aert dressed as a singing squirrel on the Masked Singer
The precise race for Van Aert’s comeback remains uncertain. Some of the races he could participate in include the UCI World Cup in Hulst on Dec. 21, the UCI World Cup in Zonhoven on Dec. 22, and the Zilvermeercross in Mol on Dec. 23. Additionally, it remains to be seen how many cross races Van Aert will ride this winter. Meanwhile, his rival Mathieu van der Poel has not yet announced whether he will compete in cross this season. However, he was recently spotted training with another former world ‘cross champion—his dad, Adrie, and brother, former pro David. The van der Poels enjoyed a father-sons ride in Spain, with Mathieu sharing a photo on Instagram of his dad wearing the same signature orange Oakleys and sporting a similar profile, captioned, “cool daddy.”
Moving on from a tricky road season
Van Aert had a rollercoaster season in 2024. After a promising start, he crashed hard at Dwaars door Vlaanderen, which significantly altered his plans for the year. He was forced to recover from his injuries, leading him to skip the Giro d’Italia and his Classics campaign—the biggest goals of his season.
He finally returned to racing and got back into form at the Tour de France. By the time the Vuelta a España came around, he was flying, winning three stages and wearing both the points and climbers’ jerseys before crashing in a two-man breakaway.
After some time off the bike, the Belgian is now back to work, preparing for both the 2025 road season and his 2024/25 ‘cross season.
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