According to L’Équipe, is dealing with a more complex ankle injury than initially suggested following his crash at the Zilvermeercross in Mol, raising fresh uncertainty around the early phase of his 2026 road season.
Van Aert crashed heavily during Friday’s cyclo-cross race in Mol, an incident that immediately brought his winter campaign to an end. He underwent surgery on Saturday in Herentals, and while his team initially described the injury as a small fracture, L’Équipe reports that medical sources indicate a fracture of the right lateral malleolus.
According to a Belgian medical source cited by the French outlet, the injury is “an articular fracture, but a simple one, treated with osteosynthesis.” While this type of surgical intervention can allow for better mobility and a more structured recovery, it remains significantly more serious than the short timelines first mentioned by the team, including suggestions of a return to the home trainer within two weeks.
Professor Gilbert Versier, an orthopaedic surgeon who has worked extensively with professional cyclists, told L’Équipe that full bone consolidation typically takes six to eight weeks. “Strict immobilisation with a cast or brace is usually around one month,” he explained. “Weight-bearing and walking generally resume between four and six weeks, with a return to riding on the home trainer around six weeks, sometimes four if the fracture evolves favourably.”
That assessment was broadly echoed by Mathieu Le Strat, who previously managed a similar ankle fracture suffered by Kévin Vauquelin. While initially optimistic based on limited information, Le Strat acknowledged that the situation is “a bit more complicated in reality.” He added that, thanks to the osteosynthesis, Van Aert could potentially resume indoor riding slightly before the one-month mark, saying he “would not be surprised” to see him back on the home trainer within three weeks.
In terms of competition, however, the timeline stretches further. Versier suggested that a return to racing would more likely come after three months. “Cycling is not a full weight-bearing sport and can form part of the rehabilitation process,” he said, adding that a comeback for the Flemish and Ardennes Classics could still be possible. The key question, however, is in what condition Van Aert would arrive, particularly given that last season he opened his road campaign in mid-February with the Clásica Jaén and the Volta ao Algarve, options that now appear off the table.
Van Aert has publicly stated that he is “very disappointed” to see his cyclo-cross season end this way and confirmed that his focus must now shift entirely to recovery. Team Visma | Lease a Bike declined to comment on detailed medical timelines, but stressed to L’Équipe that internal expectations are not as long as some of the estimates circulating. A further medical update is expected during the team’s training camp presentation in La Nucía on 13 January.
