'Training isn't a problem' - Van Aert on track to start season at Omloop

The Belgian was forced to curtail his cyclocross season after the incident on January 2, but he returned to training within 10 days of undergoing surgery. 

Although his rehab work continues, Van Aert has embarked on a training camp at Sierra Nevada this week with Visma | Lease a Bike teammates including Christophe Laporte, Bruno Armirail and Edoardo Affini.

“We always planned that altitude training camp, and it seemed for a while already that Wout would be able to go there, but of course, it’s very important that it’s worked out,” Visma head of racing Grischa Niermann told Wielerflits. “He’s still in rehabilitation, but despite that, he can train quite well. I don’t think he could race yet, but training isn’t a problem.”

Van Aert confessed that walking was still painful when he met with reporters at the Visma media last month, but he was soon clocking long-distance training rides on Strava.

“He can still ride, he can still train,” Niermann said. “Maybe he can’t put weight on his ankle fully yet, but it’s going as we hoped. It’s going according to plan. At the moment, the schedule still allows him to start on Opening Weekend.”

Van Aert is due to start his season at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on February 28, and his programme also includes a return to Strade Bianche for the first time in five years. In a break with his approach in recent seasons, Van Aert will also ride Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo as he builds towards the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. 

“We hope he’ll be on top form later on, but we do expect him to be on top form for Omloop,” Niermann said. “We can’t say much at this point about the steps he’ll make during the training camp. But he can train as usual right now, and that’s the most important thing.”

Van Aert and his teammates are scheduled to be stationed at Sierra Nevada’s Centro de Alto Rendimiento until shortly before Opening Weekend, and Niermann made light of the miserable weather conditions that limited them to indoor training on their arrival.

“The first few days are definitely more about adaptation,” he said. “The boys are on their rollers now and they don’t have to do any long training sessions yet.”