Reports in Belgium suggest new injury set back for Wout van Aert

With the World Cup Antwerpen this weekend kicking off the busy period of the cyclocross season, we’re still waiting on a return date for the two main men: Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Most fans believed that van Aert’s return date would come after his Team | Visma Lease a Bike training camp ended on December 19th, but it may still be further away than that according to Het Laaste Nieuws.

HLN have reported that Van Aert has suffered some complications due to the knee injury he sustained at the Vuelta a Espana, when he was looking like he was back to his best and leading the points and mountains classifications. Whilst van Aert is said to be back on his bike, HLN reported that he is still having some difficulties running, which is often an important element of cyclocross.

Visma team manager confirmed earlier this winter that Van Aert would not be in the cyclocross field until after the Visma training camp, but it appears now we may have to wait longer still. The confirmation date for defending six time world champion Mathieu van der Poel is also yet to be confirmed, and so for now it appears that Thibau Nys and co will not have to worry about the ‘big two’ for at least another month.

Van Aert’s last cyclocross world title came all the way back in 2018, and he’ll be desperate to steal the title back from his Dutch arch rival this winter. But, he’s got to hope his knee recovers fully first, because after an injury hit 2024, the last thing the Belgian wants to do is to disrupt his 2025 campaign. His team certainly felt the effects of not having a primed and ready Wout van Aert, both in the classics and at the grands tours, and he needs to be back to his incredible best next year.