"We also saw last year that 'being fit'... Mathieu was simply much better" - Visma address concerns ahead of Wout van Aert's cyclocross return

The time has almost arrived for the cyclocross return of Wout van Aert. On December 23rd, the Belgian superstar is back in action at Superprestige Zilvermeercross Mol. Ahead of Van Aert's return, Team Visma | Lease a Bike manager Jan Boven has given an update on his rider's levels.

The 2024 road season was a disrupted one for Van Aert, as injuries and crashes consistently scuppered any momentum he would build up. At the Vuelta a Espana, he crashed out in the third week, injuring his knee. "Now he no longer has that problem," Boven tells Het Nieuwsblad. "He wasn't just behind in running – his injury slowed down his general development. Cycling went more smoothly than running, but now he is fully fit, otherwise he wouldn't start his cross season."

After announcing a calendar of six races, Van Aert is set for four battles with his arch-rival Mathieu van der Poel. Whether or not the Belgian can challenge his Dutch rival, Boven admits there are no certainties, regardless of Van Aert's level. "We don't know whether it will be enough to also compete for the win. It is also still a question mark for Wout himself how far he is compared to the other crossers," Boven explains. "We know that he is fit, but we also saw last year that 'being fit' sometimes has different dimensions. Then Mathieu was simply much better than the rest."

Following the 23rd's cross in Mol, Van Aert is set to also start in Loenhout on December 27th, Gullegem on January 4th, Dendermonde on January 5th, before heading to Benidorm on January 19th and finally Maasmechelen on January 25th.