Wout van Aert has endured a frustrating and injury-disrupted opening to the season, but with just a month remaining until the Tour of Flanders, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider now has an opportunity to reset his campaign. He is set to make his competitive return this Tuesday at Le Samyn, marking his first race back.
Monday signifies two months since his crash at Exact Cross Mol, where he was competing alongside Mathieu van der Poel. Van Aert slipped on an icy section of the course and fractured his ankle. Although the injury did not completely derail his broader training programme, it cost him several weeks of high-quality preparation and racing, while also significantly limiting his mobility during recovery.
He later joined his teammates for a three-week altitude training camp in Sierra Nevada. However, adverse weather conditions including severe snowstorms that swept across Western Europe during an extraordinary run of storms meant that outdoor training was occasionally impossible.
After descending from altitude, illness further disrupted his schedule, forcing him to miss Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, where he had been expected to assess his condition and contend for victory. In his absence, Visma claimed success at Kuurne – Bruxelles – Kuurne through Matteo Brennan, giving the squad renewed confidence heading into the coming fixtures.
Race organisers have now confirmed Van Aert’s participation at Le Samyn, easing concerns about his fitness. He will line up alongside Christophe Laporte, forming a formidable partnership for the Belgian semi-classic. His programme continues with Strade Bianche this weekend, followed by an intensive run of races leading into the spring Monuments, where his objective remains clear: secure a major victory this season.
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