Toon Aerts’ road season over after double kneecap fracture in Tour of Denmark crash

Toon Aerts had been enjoying an excellent road season with Lotto-Intermarché. The Belgian was also riding strongly at the Tour of Denmark, but his luck changed dramatically during the final stage. Aerts crashed heavily in the sprint, although he was still able to get back on his bike and cross the finish line. Subsequent medical examinations have now revealed the full extent of the cyclocross rider’s injuries.

Aerts made an excellent start to the season, with his results including fourth place on Stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya. That performance helped him earn a place on the start line at the Tour of Flanders, where he finished 33rd, before making his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia. Aerts demonstrated his quality there with ninth place on the final stage, while the biggest highlight was his second-place finish in Novi Ligure.

The 32-year-old cyclocross specialist and road racer continued to perform well at the Tour of Denmark. He was unable to challenge for the result on the opening day, but came close to victory on Stage 2 and eventually finished third. Sixteenth and seventh places over the following days meant it was still developing into an impressive race for the Lotto-Intermarché fast man, who had hoped to finish the week on another positive note.

But things went wrong in the final stage. Aerts went down heavily alongside a large group of riders inside the final 500 metres. He was able to remount and reach the finish, allowing him to secure 16th place in the final general classification. Aerts was clearly in considerable pain, however, and required further medical examinations after the race. The resulting diagnosis was a serious one.

Lotto-Intermarché announced the injury in a press release on X. “Toon Aerts sustained a double fracture of the kneecap and a scaphoid fracture following a crash in the final stage of the Tour of Denmark. He will undergo surgery this week.” The injuries mean that the Belgian’s 2026 road season has come to a premature end.

Cyclocross supporters can take some encouragement from the team’s projected recovery schedule. “His return to competition is expected in late October for the cyclocross season, as originally planned. Despite this abrupt end, we are extremely proud of Toon’s first WorldTour season and wish him a speedy recovery,” the Belgian team concluded.