Wout van Aert’s cyclocross comeback now down to three dates — Antwerp, Koksijde or Hofstade?

Wout van Aert’s winter schedule is finally taking shape — even if the team is still keeping fans guessing. After a busy week that included filming for television and a cold, soaking recon on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, the Belgian star now has three possible dates for his long-awaited return to cyclocross: 20, 21 or 22 December.

What’s certain is that his comeback will happen before Christmas. What remains undecided is which sand-heavy round will get the honours: Antwerp on the 20th, Koksijde on the 21st, or Hofstade on the 22nd — all races that suit Van Aert’s preferred terrain.

Just a day after his near miss on the TV quiz De Slimste Mens, Van Aert was far from taking it easy. Instead, he was back doing hard yards across the most brutal cobbles in cycling, tackling the famed Carrefour de l’Arbre sector multiple times in driving rain and six-degree cold. Alongside teammates from Team Visma | Lease a Bike — including Christophe Laporte, Timo Kielich and Aldo Taillieu — the aim was simple: test equipment under real-race stress.

The squad ran checks on their trusted setup of Cervelo bikes, SRAM components, Reserve wheels and Vittoria tyres, as well as the GRAVAA tyre-pressure system they’ve been trialling in cobbled races. With the Classics still months away, November remains their preferred moment to fine-tune hardware without the glare of competition. Team director Jan Boven and performance equipment chief Jenco Drost oversaw the session and, according to reports, left satisfied with what they observed.

Before Van Aert clips in for his first cross race of the winter, there’s still more work to be done. Later this week the team convenes in the Netherlands for its annual pre-season block — a mix of medical tests and content duties for sponsors.

From 8 to 16 December, the entire squad heads to Oliva, Spain, for its first major training camp of 2026. Only after that will the final call be made on which sand race will officially mark Van Aert’s CX return.

Whether it’s Antwerp, Koksijde or Hofstade, anticipation is already building. His last winter saw only a handful of appearances, and fans have been eager for confirmation ever since.

One thing is clear: he’s close — very close — to stepping back between the tape.