Wout van Aert Returns from Injury at Omloop as Monument Quest Resumes

The only thing better than the return of the spring classics at the “Opening Weekend” of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne?

The fact that Wout van Aert will be there.

Visma-Lease a Bike confirmed its beloved Belgian will return to the peloton Saturday at the Omloop in what will be his first race since he was sidelined from the cyclocross winter with a fractured ankle.

The 31-year-old – a former winner of the prestigious cobblestone season-opener – will co-lead the Killer Bees with rising Brit Matthew Brennan.

Christophe Laporte, who enjoyed a hot start to the season after a terrible 2025, has also been passed fit after he crashed out of the final stage of the Ruta del Sol.

Van Aert will skip Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on the “Opening Sunday” this weekend and return on Tuesday at Le Samyn. A showdown with Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche awaits him just days later on Saturday, 7 March.

And as if Van Aert’s return wasn’t good enough, there’s a high chance his eternal rival Mathieu van der Poel will also be at the startline of Saturday’s Omloop.

Alpecin-Premier Tech is yet to confirm its leader’s schedule, however, speculation is rife that the cobble-hungry Dutchman could open his road season on a newly revised Omloop course which should tilt race dynamics directly in his favor.

Van Aert races for training on the road to Flanders and Roubaix

The question is, what version of Van Aert will show up Saturday?

His winter training was torpedoed when he fractured his ankle in an icy cyclocross crash in December.

While he was able to return to full training volume relatively fast, he reported struggling to train at full intensity for multiple weeks.

Whether Van Aert is at full power or not on Saturday, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is merely a stepping stone.

As with every other season of his career, his Grail is months down the road in the “Holy Week” of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

Van Aert’s return is the second piece of good news in two days for the embattled Visma-Lease a Bike team. Jonas Vingegaard confirmed Monday he’s added Paris-Nice to his calendar as he fast-tracks his fitness after a botched start to the season.