Wout van Aert stacks up over 9,000 metres of climbing and Strava KOMs in striking post-surgery Dolomites training block
CyclingMonday, 13 July 2026 at 17:00
Wout van Aert may be absent from the Tour de France for the first time since his 2019 debut, but his recovery from elbow surgery has already moved well beyond tentative comeback rides.
Across four consecutive days in the Dolomites, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike star covered 386.84 kilometres, climbed 9,424 metres and spent more than 15 hours in the saddle.
He also claimed two Strava KOMs while training around Ortisei and Selva di Val Gardena.
The largest ride came on July 9, when Van Aert completed 150.67 kilometres with 4,590 metres of climbing in six hours and 13 minutes. His route included a downhill KOM between Grodner Joch and St Ulrich.
Four demanding days in the Dolomites
Van Aert returned the following day for another 53.30 kilometres and 1,837 metres of elevation, placing fourth on the Monte Seura downhill segment. On July 11, he added 115.21 kilometres and 2,852 metres of climbing in four hours and 21 minutes. That ride included another KOM near Campitello.
The four-day block ended with a shorter and much faster outing. Van Aert covered 67.66 kilometres in one hour and 38 minutes and completed the Selva-Ortisei segment in 6:33 to take the fastest recorded Strava time.
His totals across the sequence reached 386.84 kilometres, 9,424 metres of elevation and 15 hours and five minutes of riding.
Van Aert rebuilding after Tour-ending elbow infection
Van Aert suffered an elbow wound in a crash before the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes. Although he later sprinted to victory on Stage 5, he withdrew before the final weekend as the problem worsened.
A bacterial infection was subsequently discovered, leading to hospital treatment and surgery. The setback ruled the 31-year-old out of Visma’s Tour de France lineup and ended his run of seven consecutive appearances.
Van Aert was back on the bike less than a week after the operation, initially testing whether he could comfortably hold the handlebars again. His latest rides in northern Italy have carried considerably more volume and climbing than those first recovery outings.
The Belgian had been expected to combine stage ambitions with support duties for Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour, having already won Paris-Roubaix earlier in the season.
His next major target is expected to be the Vuelta a Espana, beginning on August 22. No return date has yet been confirmed, but Van Aert’s Dolomite block has provided the clearest indication so far of how far his rehabilitation has progressed.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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