‘Normal life is more complicated’: Wout van Aert clarifies injury after ‘joint fracture’

The injury brought his cyclo-cross campaign to a halt on Friday, with surgery taking place just one day later. Since then, there has been a period of little news, before Van Aert suddenly reappeared on Strava, riding outdoors again for the first time since the crash. He also shared pictures of his (painful) ankle on Instagram.

Van Aert then travelled to Spain soon after that initial training ride and spoke there in more detail about the injury. “It probably looks worse than it is. Walking is still painful at times and I have to be careful not to take too many steps,” he said, using a brace for support.

“It’s been good that I’ve already gotten some time on the bike — and it feels more or less fine,” Van Aert continued from La Nucia, Spain. “It’s always amazing to be back on the bike. It’s more or less okay. The fact that my foot fits in the shoe is a good sign. It still goes up and down a bit. We’re working daily to improve it. Since I started riding again, I’m confident I’ll recover quickly.”

The big question, of course, is whether the fall in Mol will affect the Visma rider’s preparation for the rest of the season. “It certainly ruined my cyclo-cross winter,” Van Aert admitted honestly. “I was ambitious for the races that were still coming. It was a big blow personally.”

Despite this, he’s looking to the future with hope. “I hope that in a few months I can say it didn’t ruin my season. The new year has only just begun. I hope time will be on my side so I’m hopefully ready for the upcoming season.”

Speaking to writers, the Belgian provided further explanation of the injury. “They call it a joint fracture (a fracture involving the joint, ed.), and I had surgery the next day. Since then it’s gone relatively smoothly and I could already get on the rollers quite quickly. Right now, when I’m on the bike without intensity, it’s okay. My foot is basically locked in the cycling shoe, so that’s manageable,” he explained.

“Normal life is more complicated,” Van Aert added. “Walking takes a lot of energy, and when I put my foot down, the swelling comes back.” Exactly when he can return to higher-intensity training is still unclear. “The fracture is held together with a screw and the ligaments around it need recovery, so we’re looking at it day by day.”

“Mentality was pretty tough,” Van Aert said, reflecting on how disappointment has featured in recent seasons. “I felt myself improving throughout the cyclo-cross season toward the races that were still to come. Luckily, I could get on the rollers quickly so there wasn’t much time where I could only lie around. That helps, knowing you’re not losing too much fitness.”

Despite this being yet another physical setback in recent years, Van Aert remains focused. “Of course you get fed up for a moment, but after a few days you think back to the moments riding among the crowd. Then you realise again what you’re doing it for,” the popular Belgian rider concluded. Van Aert is expected to race throughout the full spring, the Tour and the Vuelta later this year, and he is normally set to make his comeback at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.