Christophe Laporte opens up on illness nightmare - 'I thought it would never get better'

Speaking in an interview by Visma | Lease a Bike after Openings Weekend, Laporte reflected on a difficult period that tested him more than any race ever has.

“That was the hardest time of my career,” he said. “You wake up every morning expecting to feel better, and when it lasts so long, at one point you start to think it will never get better.”

Laporte had been sidelined by a cytomegalovirus infection, a condition related to mononucleosis, which left him exhausted for weeks. “I was sick for one month at this time of the year. I couldn’t walk more than 20 minutes without feeling really bad. I was just sitting on the sofa all day. Even being at home with the kids was hard. Nothing was enjoyable.”

Initially, the team hoped for a quick recovery, but the timeline kept shifting. “We were always putting a goal somewhere, thinking maybe I could come back then. But we kept pushing it further and further. At one point I just needed to feel good in my body again before even thinking about cycling.”

The uncertainty weighed heavily. “The hardest thing is that you expect improvement every day. When it doesn’t come, you start to lose belief.”

Now, months later, that phase feels distant. Laporte completed a full winter without setbacks and arrived at the Classics with renewed confidence. “I feel good now. Much better than last year. After such a long period, I had to prove to myself I was still there.”

His return to racing has been promising. At the Vuelta a Andalucía, he impressed with a stage win and aggressive racing, even putting himself in contention for the general classification before being forced to abandon on the final stage after a crash.

During Opening Weekend, he showed glimpses of the rider who has consistently been present in the decisive moments of major one day races. He finished fourth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, while at Kuurne Brussel Kuurne he played a key role as lead out in Matthew Brennan’s victory.

The 33-year-old rider admitted he was glad to be back in the Classics, saying, “It’s nice to be back again. I missed it last year.”

There is also a sense of reassurance after everything he has been through. “This winter I had no doubt anymore about what happened last year. That was the good thing.” Now fully back in the rhythm of racing, Laporte is aiming to compete at the front again. “I’m ready for it. I have the legs. It’s a good start of the season.”

And after a year of watching from the sidelines, that might be the biggest victory of all.