When can Van Aert return to racing? "In the best-case scenario, Wout could be back on the bike within a few weeks"

Wout van Aert is a rider who sees bad luck affect him time and time again, and he has entered 2026 in a familiar scenario: In a race against time. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider crashed at the Exact Cross Mol and suffered an ankle fracture, which has ended his cyclocross season and will delay his preparation for the cobbled classics.

"We usually see such fractures on a football field or volleyball court, and not on a bike," sports physician Tom Teulingkx said in words to Sporza. Furthermore, he has worked with the Belgian rider himself in the past, and has insight into the injury. "But of course, it can always happen to a cyclist. You could see the ankle literally twist. Such an ankle sprain is actually one of the most common injuries we see in sports."

It was an injury that happened in a very unusual manner. The Belgian slipped out in a corner during the snowstorm-affected race, however it was not the final impact of falling to the ground that actually caused the injury. Before he hit the ground, van Aert instinctively put his foot down as he was sliding, and in these moments, he sprained his ankle. It was a harsh one, which also led to a fracture. 

"There are hundreds of ligaments around the ankle, which usually tear or stretch with such a sprain. That's when swelling occurs. In a minority of cases, this also leads to a fracture. In that case, the bone, which is encased in those ligaments, is also affected."

"If it's a minor loosening of the bone, it can be quickly fixed, for example, with a plate or screw. This is also how it's done with a broken collarbone. And that can speed up the healing process. But there are dozens of bones in the ankle and foot, so it's anyone's guess." Hence, after a surgery that is taking place this weekend, there will be an assessment of how long the recovery process will be. 

"A twisted ankle usually takes three to four weeks to recover. It's logical that Wout won't be racing cyclocross anymore. Because a cyclocross rider also has to run, which is very stressful on the ankle. But if you just cycle on the road, it'll be much easier to fix and treat the ankle, because it's under less strain and is securely attached to a pedal."

What can be said as a certainty is that the Belgian is once again on the backfoot. Over the past two years he has suffered several injuries and illnesses that continuously delay his progress, and this could once again open up the gap to Mathieu van der Poel who remains injury-free. Van Aert is likely to have around a month without serious high-quality training (2 weeks off the road, 2 weeks slowly ramping up the intensity), which could be an issue for him upon arriving in the monuments. 

"In the best-case scenario, Wout could be back on the bike within a few weeks, depending on the severity of the fracture. Nature has to take its course, but I think his spring season on the road is unlikely to be compromised. Looking at the images, it might not be so bad".