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Wout van Aert will make his season debut at Le Samyn on Tuesday, race organisers have confirmed.The Visma-Lease a Bike rider missed Saturday’s Omloop Nieuwsblad after falling ill, having been expected to make his first appearance of the season on home soil.But the Belgian has recovered in time to compete at Le Samyn in Quaregnon – which will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Visma did not give any details on Van Aert’s illness, although the rider said he was “confident that I will be able to return to racing soon”.
“Obviously, it’s a big blow for me to miss out on my first race, having prepared for the Classics season the whole winter,” he said.
“We had a good training camp at Sierra Nevada, and I was feeling really strong. But unfortunately, it’s also that time of the year where it’s easy to fall ill.”
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Van Aert was seen back on his bike and training again on Sunday, despite Visma’s assertion that he would “take his time to recover”.
All eyes will be on the 31-year-old as he makes his return on a challenging 204km route that includes several cobblestone sectors.
After Le Samyn, he is scheduled to compete at Strade Bianche on Saturday, then a stage race in Tirreno-Adriatico next week, before several Classics including Milano-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix.
Van Aert’s illness was the latest disruption in a difficult start to 2026, after he fractured his ankle at the Exact Cross cyclo-cross race in Mol in January and required surgery.
He revealed after his ankle injury that there was some lingering discomfort.
“It probably looks worse than it is,” he said. “Walking is still painful at times and I have to be careful not to take too many steps.
“It’s been good that I’ve already got some time on the bike – and it feels more or less fine. It’s always amazing to be back on the bike.
“It’s more or less OK. The fact that my foot fits in the shoe is a good sign. It still goes up and down a bit. We’re working daily to improve it. Since I started riding again, I’m confident I’ll recover quickly.”
He added: “They call it a joint fracture, and I had surgery the next day. Since then, it’s gone relatively smoothly, and I could already get on the rollers quite quickly.
“Right now, when I’m on the bike without intensity, it’s OK. My foot is basically locked in the cycling shoe, so that’s manageable.
“Normal life is more complicated. Walking takes a lot of energy, and when I put my foot down, the swelling comes back.
“The fracture is held together with a screw and the ligaments around it need recovery, so we’re looking at it day by day.”
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