"After rain comes sunshine": smiling Van Aert throws away crutches in Italy and takes "Baby steps" toward recovery
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Follow us on GoogleLast week, Wout van Aert shared a new injury update
regarding his injuries sustained in a crash at the Vuelta a España. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider revealed that additional damage had been found to his knee but that he would normally return to level. That recovery project was kicked off slowly but surely, and that recovery plan was slowly but surely set in motion on this week.
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These are small steps in the right direction for Van Aert, who couldn't return to competition for the rest of the season due to the severe crash and thus also had to skip the world championships in Switzerland. Van Aert's walk - one of "only" 2.74 kilometers in the Trento region - was cleverly called Baby Steps on his Strava account.
Van Aert throws crutches in the trash
It all happened during a well-deserved vacation for the family, which Van Aert's wife, Sarah De Bie, shared some beautiful photos of on her Instagram account. "After rain comes sunshine," it says, obviously referring to Van Aert's grueling period after his crash. In the Italian sun, his smile returned, as evidenced also by a beautiful photo of the couple. Moreover, a video shows that the crutches are no longer needed and are thrown in the trash.
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Latest Comments
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026
- Pointing to three former riders doesn’t settle what nearly 100 people have reportedly shared. Hopefully the review looks at the team’s systems and culture, not just whose version of events sounds more convincing.julien13-11-2026
- Eight questions or 23? That’s a pretty significant difference in the accounts, and it’d be useful to know exactly what was sent and when.robert6513-11-2026
- Kittel’s position sounds more nuanced than Spekenbrink suggests: he didn’t endorse the “culture of fear” label, but still called for the team to be looked at critically. That distinction matters.bikebuffj13-11-2026
- The independent investigation is the important bit now. It needs to give current staff a safe way to speak honestly, not just become another round of public statements.michael5413-11-2026