World Cup bonus Van Aert comes in handy, Belgian still has to pull out purse heavily for former employer

In 2018, before Van Aert made the switch to the Dutch team, his relationship with Sniper Cycling — where Nuyens was team manager — was already strained. At the time, Van Aert was showing great promise and was eager to move to the WorldTour. To facilitate his transfer to Jumbo-Visma, he invoked an urgent cause, but Nuyens claimed this constituted a breach of contract.

Nuyens initially demanded 1.1 million euros from Van Aert, along with additional compensation for damages caused to sponsors. The Belgian labor court sided with Nuyens at the time, imposing a termination fee of 662,041.31 euros. However, the case didn’t end there. "Knowing Van Aert, this won’t end here. It feels unjust. It’s very likely we’ll take this to the Court of Cassation," Van Aert’s top lawyer, Walter van Steenbrugge, said at the time.

And Van Steenbrugge turned out to be right, as the case indeed reached the Court of Cassation. On Monday, the final ruling was issued. "On January 13, 2025, the Court of Cassation ruled in the case of cyclist Wout van Aert against his former employer/team. The Court of Cassation rejected both parties’ appeals against the judgment of the Antwerp labor court on June 9, 2021," the Court declared.

"With that judgment, the labor court ordered Wout van Aert to pay a termination fee of 662,041.31 euros because he unlawfully terminated his employment contract citing an urgent cause," the Visma | Lease a Bike rider was told today. The fee stands, meaning Van Aert will have to transfer a substantial sum to his former employer.

The multiple stage winner in the Tour de France and Vuelta is unlikely to lose much sleep over this ruling. On Sunday, his team announced in a press release that Van Aert will indeed compete in the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Liévin this coming Sunday. The Belgian, who already impressed last Saturday during the World Cup in Maasmechelen, is fully focused on the upcoming race.

In France, Van Aert is looking forward to an exciting showdown with his great rival, Mathieu van der Poel. The Dutchman admitted on Sunday that he was surprised by Van Aert’s decision to compete but expressed full confidence heading into the race. Van der Poel demonstrated last weekend why he’s considered the top favorite for the world title. Still, cyclo-cross fans are eagerly anticipating the clash with a determined Van Aert, which will make for a thrilling battle.