Laporte rebuilds after ‘most difficult period’ following 315 day racing absence

"It was the most difficult period of my career. I couldn't understand what was wrong with me; my body wasn't responding. Every time I tried to increase the load, the fatigue and pain returned. I had no energy, no confidence," Laporte revealed to Bici.pro about his prolonged absence.

The 32-year-old Frenchman pinned on his first race number of the year only in August at the ADAC Cyclassics in Germany, marking a 315-day gap since his previous race day. His spring plans collapsed when he contracted cytomegalovirus, forcing him to withdraw from the Classics campaign where he had previously excelled.

Just as recovery seemed within reach, Laporte then contracted chickenpox, further extending his time away from racing and costing him a place at the Tour de France.

Visma | Lease a Bike ultimately suspended his racing schedule completely, sending him to altitude camp in Sierra Nevada to rebuild his fitness.

Signs of the old Laporte, a rider who has won at the pinnacle of the sport, have begun to emerge in recent weeks. After his August return, he secured an encouraging third place at the Belgian one-day race Binche-Chimay-Binche before finishing second at Paris-Tours behind Matteo Trentin, a race in which he was the defending champion.

"When you finish second or third, there's always a bit of disappointment," Laporte said, "But this time it was different. This time, I can look back on my race with satisfaction. I was isolated in the finale, but I was able to respond well to the attacks."

Despite fighting to the finish at Paris-Tours, physical limitations still hampered his performance. "During the sprint, I felt cramps coming on and couldn't push any harder, so I had to sprint sitting down. I gave it my all, but Matteo was simply stronger. I'm happy with my form this fall."

Currently competing at the Tour of Holland, in its first edition since 2004, Laporte is already looking ahead to rebuilding for the 2026 season rather than chasing immediate successful results.

"Now I just want to feel good, do my job, and rack up some races. Every day in the saddle brings me closer to the level I know I'm at. After everything I've been through, being able to fight for a podium again is already a victory," he explained.

The former European champion's return to form represents a crucial piece of Visma | Lease a Bike's ambitions for next season. Alongside Wout van Aert, Laporte remains one of the team's key figures for the Classics campaign as they look to challenge in what has been a realm dominated by UAE and Alpecin with the likes of Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel, respectively.

For Laporte, the path forward is clear: accumulate racing days, build consistency, and gradually return to the level that made him one of cycling's most formidable Classics specialists between 2022 and 2023, where he won in Gent-Wevelgem after a 'gift' from Van Aert, along with other notable victories during that period.