Wout van Aert is set to return to cyclocross on the 4th of December in the Antwerp World Cup. Last year he won 9 out of 10 races and looked to be the dominant figure in his short stint in the discipline, however he's not sure if he can replicate that this winter.
"Actually, I would have liked to have been there in Kortrijk this coming weekend. But I think I'm not ready for that conditionally," van Aert said in an interview with Sporza. "Due to illness and a longer inactivity, I'm a little less advanced than I would like."
He had initially planned to make his debut off-road this coming weekend, and face both Tom Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel in Hulst, however he's decided to postpone it a week. In the bigger picture, a rather insignificant decision.
"The cold didn't seem bad enough to rest. I then started exercising and cycling again, which made the cold worse. In the end I had to take antibiotics. As a result, I started my preparation with a lower level. I have been able to prepare well in recent weeks. But it is difficult to estimate where I will finish in the first cross," he admits.
"Of course I hope to compete for the win as soon as possible, especially during the Christmas period. I consider the first crosses this season as a run-up. Hopefully the level will return soon and I can work towards the World Championships," the Jumbo-Visma rider shared. He's aiming high at the Hoogerheide World Championships where he will seek a fourth rainbow jersey, but will have tough competition.
"It's the only race where I make a very big goal," he admits. "But in the end I think all crosses in which I participate are important, because every cross feels like coming home. The World Championships is the only competition that I really peak at."
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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