"My test values are better than ever" - Toon Aerts promises fireworks this weekend as he returns to cyclocross
Cyclocross
A two-year suspension due to a positive Letrozole test comes to an end this week for Toon Aerts. The former European Cyclocross champion returns to competition with a few races still to go, and is extremely motivated to show his worth in the end of the season.
“I'm actually tense, yes. When I wake up at night to urinate and then try to fall asleep again, I feel like it takes longer than usual. You're still working on it and you're thinking about what's coming. It feels a bit surreal at the moment that it's all going to start again. It took so long and there seemed to be no end in sight. But suddenly that end is in sight," Aerts said in an interview with Wielerflits.
Aerts endured a long battle to try and prove his innocence, which proved unsuccessful. He and female rider Shari Bossuyt both presented a similar argument as to their positive doping result, which involved contaminated milk in the town of Flamanville. In two completely separate events, both tested positive on that one town in France, but neither could prove their innocence with certainty - with Bossuyt claiming fatigue and lack of financial resources as the cause for her stopping her attempt to cut the ban.
Aerts missed out on almost two entire cyclocross seasons, but races this weekend again with the Deschacht - Hens - Maes team. He will race the Exact Cross Sint-Niklaas and the X2O Trofee's final event in Brussels this weekend; and the Oostmalle cross on the 25th of February which ends the season.
“Then I took a rest period and then started again in October. With a new trainer too. We worked in a very structured way. Everything went 100% as we wanted. We have done training camps and completed cross-training. We haven't overlooked anything. My form is really good at the moment," he continues.
Regarding form, the 30-year old is very motivated and positive. “I can of course compare my test results with those of previous years. I've been a pro for seven years, so I have plenty of material to compare. My test values are better than ever. So I am really at a level that is very high in my opinion."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
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- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
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