"In my eyes it is above all expectations" - Paul Herygers impressed by Wout van Aert's performance on cyclocross return

Wout van Aert is officially back. Although a little later than originally planned due to a recent illness, the 30-year-old Belgian made his much anticipated return to cyclocross on Friday in Loenhout, almost cracking the final podium too.

"I thought he would throw himself in there, somewhere for 5th place. But when you almost come 2nd... Without that fall, he sprints along, right?" Sporza's cyclocross expert Paul Herygers reflected on the Team Visma | Lease a Bike's superstars performance. "In my eyes it is above all expectations given his ambitions. He himself has no interest in the Belgian Championship or the World Championship. He will try to move closer and in a tough race like Gullegem or Dendermonde he will try to win."

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Given there were real question marks over Van Aert's performance level ahead of his return, given the harshness of his injuries sustained in a Vuelta a Espana crash, the Belgian's level was actually quite reassuring. "He is programmed differently," Herygers explains. "He has had enough work and it has taken a lot of effort to reach this level again after a new rehabilitation. He does not have to bite off more than he can chew. I give him this chance to give it his all again."

As such, Herygers is certain Van Aert's road back to his best is on schedule. "He even has a lead. His voice sounds like a bell. This is Van Aert at his best," the cyclocross expert says. "We knew little about where he stood. If you look at this: he was on the road with Thibau Nys and Laurens Sweeck and they are winners, right? There is nothing wrong. Everything looks rosy."

"He won't care about missing the podium," Herygers concludes his analysis. "He won't be devastated. He was close and that is the main thing. Mission accomplished."

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