"I thought for a moment: what the f*ck! I didn't expect a latex suit" - Wout van Aert reacts to viral appearance on The Masked Singer

You've surely seen by now the viral video of Belgian cycling superstar Wout van Aert unmasked as the Squirrel on the Belgian version of 'The Masked Singer'. As it turns out, there's quite the story behind the Visma star's appearance on the popular show.

With the recording of The Masked Singer taking place during the summer, Van Aert's initially doubted his chances of performing due to his recovery from a nasty crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen in late March. Thankfully for the Belgian and his fans it ultimately turned out okay. "The recording day was a few months later, so it still seemed far away at that time. But we did have to move the date to fit the suit and practice. Putting on that suit would certainly not have been possible in the first month after that crash," he explains in quotes collected by AD. "On the day of the recording, it didn't hurt anymore. But during the dance training, which was a month earlier, I still had trouble with it. Although it certainly didn't hinder me."

As mentioned, Van Aert was dressed in a striking squirrel costume during his appearance on the show. "I was told that I would be a squirrel, but when I saw the suit, I thought for a moment: what the fuck," he recalls of his first experiences of the suit. "I didn't expect a latex suit like that!"

As is often the case in these kind of TV shows, discretion is also very important before the show is shown on TV so Van Aert couldn't tell many people about his appearance, with only his wife knowing the details.

After the striking singing performances, Van Aert is now focused on letting his legs do the talking once again. "I'm doing well again, but I did indeed have a tough season, especially because of all the injuries. But it's important that I don't forget that I also achieved a lot of great performances," the Visma star concludes. "I am happy with that. I am training again in the meantime, but the new season is of course still a long way off. I notice that my head also needs to get enough rest. But everything is okay."