While Van Aert returns to form, but his training buddy Soete faces a challenging season: "Caught in a seemingly endless struggle"

A few days ago, just before Wout van Aert's official return to cyclo-cross - a good friend, fellow townsman, and training partner of Soete - we published the first part of an interview with the Deschacht-Hens-Maes rider. That article focused on the then-upcoming cyclo-cross comeback of the Jumbo-Visma superstar. "He says he's slightly less fit than last year, mainly because he has done less cyclo-cross specific training. That's understandable, as he wants to peak a bit later in the season, especially towards the spring. But for all we know, Wout might just ride even faster than last year," Soete said grinning.

However, IDLProCycling.com also talked about Soete's own season, which was disrupted early on due to a COVID-19 infection. He managed a commendable tenth place in the opening cross in Beringen, followed by a thirteenth position in the World Cup race in Waterloo (October 15, 2023). There, he fell ill and was out of action for almost a month. It wasn't until November 11 - in the Jaarmarktcross of Niel - that he re-entered the field. There, he crossed the finish line in 22nd place, followed by several results between fifteenth and twentieth. "It's indeed a tough season for me," Soete acknowledges. "After that infection, I just couldn't regain my form. The recovery was quite slow, and even in training, things weren't going well."

"You do want to get back into cyclocross, but of course, it doesn't go all that well," he reflects on that period of emptiness and the subsequent races. "You find yourself in a kind of endless spiral. The results were certainly not what I wanted. Fortunately, I've been almost completely healthy for a month now and can focus on what's to come. It's time to rebuild and work towards top fifteen or top ten rankings. That was the goal I had set for myself for this cyclo-cross season."

Despite claiming to be mentally resilient, Soete admits he went through a tough time. "When it really doesn't work, it becomes a lot harder mentally. You suddenly find yourself racing against guys you normally never encounter in a race. Sometimes I really wondered: what am I still doing here? But on the other hand, I keep giving my all in the races, which isn't always easy. Riding at a level you know isn't yours isn't fun for anyone. But everyone goes through such periods, that's just how it is. Towards Christmas, I hope to have gradually found my old level again. It's up to me and no one else to break out of that circle," concluded the rider from Belgium. And as of writing, that remains a significant question. After all, a DNF (Did Not Finish) in Rucphen was the last notable thing we heard...