"It is not completely excluded" - Wout van Aert has not said no to cyclocross World Championships return

Wout van Aert is currently in the middle of his cyclocross campaign. Whilst it hasn't gone off with the strongest of starts, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike is also not in his best form. Although unlikely and unplanned, he could potentially make his way into the Hulst World Championships, this possibility hasn't been excluded, as said by Belgium's national coach.

“It is not completely excluded. Not only sportingly is he important for us, but the youth also look up to him," national coach Angelo de Clercq told Het Laatse Nieuws. "I write his name in pencil in every selection I make. Around or after the Belgian Championships it will be clear what it will be".

Deja vu, as 12 months ago the situation was the same. Van Aert hadn't confirmed or denied his presence at the worlds, so as to keep pressure off his shoulders. A decision was to be made in the weeks leading up to the race depending on the circumstances. There, after putting in a second place in the Maasmechelen World Cup and with the Worlds only days away, he took his chance and made the trip to France. He was second to Mathieu van der Poel for a third consecutive participation.

This winter he returned to the discipline in Antwerp where he rode to 7th after bad luck in the race, but showed better legs in the upcoming two races. In Hofstade he was an unrivalled second to van der Poel, whilst in Heusden-Zolder he was outsprinted by Dutch national champion Tibor del Grosso to the line. This was however, after recovering 20 seconds he lost in a bad first lap.

Van Aert has the form and will be competing often in the coming week, with the Dendermonde World Cup, X2O Trofee Badkamers Lonehout, Exact Cross Mol and Zonhoven World Cup all on the menu. This will be in a build-up towards the Belgian national championships. Van Aert will then fly to Spain for Visma's second training camp, and a decision will begin to be made around that time.