{"id":216612,"date":"2025-10-22T00:11:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T00:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/216612\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T00:11:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T00:11:09","slug":"is-wout-van-aert-set-for-imminent-cyclocross-comeback-belgian-returns-to-training-with-intriguing-strava-upload","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/216612\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Wout van Aert set for imminent cyclocross comeback? Belgian returns to training with intriguing Strava upload"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a month of rest, Wout van Aert<\/a> is back on the bike \u2014 and, if his latest Strava post<\/a> is anything to go by, the build-up to another cyclocross campaign has quietly begun.The Team Visma <\/a>| Lease a Bike rider logged a 107-kilometre ride on Tuesday morning, his first since the Super 8 Classic on 20 September. Titled \u201cKrampachtig\u201d (\u201cCramped\u201d), the three-hour spin through the Belgian countryside marked the official end of his off-season. For followers on Strava, it was a reassuring sign that one of the sport\u2019s most versatile riders is turning his attention back to serious work.<\/p>\n

Van Aert had remained largely absent from training updates in recent weeks, save for a single 10-kilometre run and a handful of relaxed holiday photos from Rome. But with winter approaching, the return of regular rides is often the clearest indication that cyclocross mode is near.<\/p>\n


\nEarlier start expected this winter<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old has already confirmed that he plans to return to the mud earlier this season than last, when he didn\u2019t debut until the Loenhout Azencross on 27 December. His precise race calendar is yet to be announced, but all signs suggest a December start \u2014 potentially aligning with early-season World Cups or traditional festive classics like Mol and Heusden-Zolder.<\/p>\n

Should that be the case, Van Aert is likely to once again renew his rivalry with Mathieu van der Poel, whose own cyclocross programme is expected to be equally selective. The pair have defined the discipline\u2019s modern era, with Van Aert\u2019s three world titles (2016\u20132018) and Van der Poel\u2019s record-equalling seven forming one of cycling\u2019s most compelling contrasts in style and supremacy.<\/p>\n

A return to roots \u2014 with road benefits<\/p>\n

Although his primary focus remains on the road \u2014 where 2025 saw him return to form after a disrupted spring \u2014 Van Aert has long credited cyclocross with sharpening the explosive power and bike handling that underpin his classics success. His short but intense winters have become carefully managed preparation blocks for the early-season road races, particularly the Monuments.<\/p>\n

Whether this winter brings another tilt at the rainbow stripes or simply a tune-up for 2026, Van Aert\u2019s first 100-kilometre ride back is a reminder that his competitive instincts never rest for long. The off-season may be over \u2014 and the mud may soon be calling again.<\/p>\n

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