Van Aert picks up after illness with running training - thanks to new Visma | Lease a Bike-deal with Nike

There was a brief moment of concern around the condition of Wout van Aert. In the crucial final weeks before his cyclocross return, the Belgian from Visma | Lease a Bike fell ill and had to stay off the bike for several days. Now, however, he is fully back to training - both cycling and running, which is especially important in his discipline. And he is doing so with the help of a newly extended sponsorship deal.

Earlier this week, Van Aert admitted that his preparation for the upcoming cross season had not gone smoothly. On 6 December, he was finally able to ride his first kilometres in days after being sick. Fortunately, two days later he already completed a 100-kilometre training ride. As a result, he was able to travel to Spain for the team’s training camp without issues.

On Wednesday, he joined his teammates on the Spanish coast for a ride. Among those present were Christophe Laporte, Tijmen Graat and Grischa Niermann, as well as new signings Bruno Armirail and Timo Kielich. They completed a loop of 118 kilometres in just under four hours - a good session to spin the legs and get moving again.

The next day, however, the bike stayed in the hotel. Instead, Van Aert laced up his running shoes. North of Dénia, he ran a 10-kilometre lap, accompanied by three others: Edoardo Affini, aero specialist Jamie Lowden, and performance chef Rolf Hoekstra.

For the Belgian cross specialist, the running component is of course essential. That makes the latest news even more welcome: Visma | Lease a Bike has expanded its collaboration with Nike. The sportswear giant had already been supplying the team’s clothing since the Tour de France, but from 2026 riders and staff will also wear Nike sneakers off the bike.

In addition, the athletes will receive brand-new running shoes. “Since the Tour de France, we’ve been very proud to wear the Nike Swoosh,” said Chief Business Officer Jasper Saeijs. "Expanding our collection to include Nike shoes so soon feels like a natural next step. We want to present our team as premium and professional, both on and off the bike. I think there’s no better partner for that than Nike.”