Vingegaard's 2024 comeback gives Benoot hope as Tour ambition stays alive

The Belgian’s spring build-up was derailed when discomfort in his lower back refused to fade. Tests brought clarity, then an operation followed, and with it an abrupt pause in a career built around constant movement.

“I was in quite a lot of pain, so I am relieved that it has been taken away,” Benoot said to Sporza. “It is good that we found the cause of the problem. Now a long rehabilitation awaits me.”

For now, there is nothing glamorous about the comeback plan. Benoot is spending most of his days lying down, with only limited time on his feet.

“I am allowed to walk 300 meters per hour and in between I need to lie down as much as possible,” he explained. “If I get the green light next week, I can start rehabilitation with the physiotherapist. Normally within a few weeks I should be able to train properly again.”

Even so, the 31-year-old understands the scale of the challenge ahead. “This will be the longest period of my career without a bike, so it is difficult to predict how it will go,” he said. “Once I am able to train again without restrictions, I will still need 16 weeks to be in real race condition. It is very hard to attach a race or a date to that.”

That uncertainty clouds his summer ambitions. The Tour de France was originally part of his program, and the race remains close to his heart after nine previous participations. “I have ridden the Tour nine times, so I know it is not a gift if you are only at 80 percent,” Benoot said. “I would love to be there, but it is too early to say it will become a real goal.”

He prefers to take it step by step. “If I can ride two or three weeks without pain, we will have a better idea of what is possible. Everything depends on the first check up.”

Benoot has drawn quiet encouragement from the rapid comeback of Jonas Vingegaard last season. “He spent 12 days in intensive care and was ready within about eight weeks to finish second in the Tour,” he noted. “I am not comparing myself to that situation, but it shows that a lot is possible.”

Missing the Classics still hurts mentally, and it hits even harder after joining Decathlon CMA CGM from Visma | Lease a Bike this winter. “When you change teams, you want to prove yourself quickly,” he said. “That makes it more frustrating, but also more motivating.”

His compatriot and former teammate, Wout van Aert, tried to lift his spirits with a box of chocolates. “I have already eaten quite a few pralines,” Benoot said. “That is slightly less ideal for a cyclist.”