“Wout will now begin his recovery”

Wout van Aert has undergone successful surgery after sustaining a season-ending ankle injury during Friday’s snow-hit Exact Cross in Mol, with his team confirming that the focus now shifts fully to recovery.“The surgery was successful,” Team Visma | Lease a Bike confirmed in a brief update on Saturday. “Wout will now begin his recovery.”

The operation brings clarity after a dramatic and ultimately cruel end to Van Aert’s cyclocross winter. What had initially looked like one of his most competitive outings of the festive period unravelled in the worst possible conditions, with heavy snowfall turning the Mol circuit into a survival test even for the sport’s biggest names.

Van Aert had been deeply engaged in a high-level duel with Mathieu van der Poel before crashing heavily in a treacherous section of the course. The Belgian initially remounted but was visibly struggling, eventually abandoning the race and limping away from the material post as concern spread through the paddock.

Cyclocross winter cut short after Mol crash

Further medical examinations revealed a sprained ankle combined with a small fracture, prompting the decision to operate without delay. As a result, Van Aert’s cyclocross season is officially over, ruling him out of anticipated appearances at Zonhoven and the Belgian Championships.

Speaking via his team after the incident, Van Aert made no attempt to hide his disappointment. He admitted the timing was especially frustrating given how his form had been trending upward in recent races. “Of course I am very disappointed to have to end my cyclocross season like this,” he said. “I was feeling better and better, including today in Mol.”

He also acknowledged the difficult but necessary reset now facing him. “I was really looking forward to the race in Zonhoven and the Belgian Championships. But my focus will now be on recovery and, later on, the preparation of the road season.”

While there is no confirmed timeline yet for his return to training, the injury is expected to disrupt Van Aert’s winter transition toward the road campaign. Any further decisions regarding his early-season road programme will depend on how smoothly the rehabilitation process progresses in the coming weeks.

For now, the priority is clear: recovery first, with longer-term ambitions temporarily put on hold after one of the most unforgiving days of this cyclocross winter.