"I truly empathize with him; it’s just unbelievable," Johan Bruyneel expresses his deep concern for the continuous misfortunes facing Wout van Aert.
This week, the cyclocross community was shaken by the heartbreaking announcement that Eli Iserbyt has been forced to retire due to an iliac artery injury that can no longer be treated. Meanwhile, the sport might also see a significant change if Mathieu van der Poel clinches his eighth world title in Hulst, and Johan Bruyneel (https://cyclinguptodate.com/johan-bruyneel) suggests that Wout van Aert's daring crashes and high-risk maneuvers in cyclocross could lead him to reconsider his future in the sport as well.
Currently, the Belgian cyclist has not yet returned to training, eight days after suffering a severe crash at the Exact Cross Mol event. Van Aert had initiated the snowy race robustly, quickly closing the gap on van der Poel following an early attack.
The competition promised to be exhilarating, showcasing stunning visuals, marking the first real winter showdown between van Aert and van der Poel. However, the excitement was abruptly halted when van Aert lost control during a corner and fell.
"It looked like he was evenly matched with Mathieu van der Poel. If we consider the past two or three years, it's been quite some time since we saw that. Typically, van der Poel holds the upper hand, but this is exactly what everyone was hoping for. Now, we’ll never find out how it could have played out," Johan Bruyneel commented during The Move podcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydsC29QeBdE).
In the moments leading up to his crash at the 2026 Exact Cross Mol, Wout van Aert faced a challenging situation. As he fell, placing a foot down resulted in an ankle fracture, which will necessitate several weeks away from both cycling and road training. This injury has effectively concluded his cyclocross season and jeopardizes his preparations for the spring classics, which are his primary focus for the upcoming season.
Bruyneel acknowledges that while van Aert will miss these races, the real concern lies in his physical condition. "Three months off is quite a realistic expectation. It’s not a catastrophic fracture, but it presents a significant hurdle for his classic races if he’s able to compete at all. His preparation is definitely compromised."
More than just affecting his physical state, this incident will likely impact van Aert's confidence as well. Since his crash at the 2024 Dwars door Vlaanderen, he has struggled to establish himself in a peloton that is becoming increasingly perilous. This latest fall only adds to the series of challenges he has been navigating through.
In 2024, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider experienced a fall at the Belgian classic, followed by another mishap during the Vuelta a España, completely derailing his season. Although he managed to have a somewhat normal season in 2025 after recovering from his previous injuries before the Giro d’Italia, it still came on the heels of his recovery from the Vuelta.
As he takes another step back, this creates an opening for Mathieu van der Poel to widen the competitive gap between them through enhanced training and improved health. "This is certainly not advantageous for him. It's a substantial setback; he seems almost cursed. Just when it appeared he was making strides to catch up to Van der Poel... I genuinely feel for him; it’s just outrageous."
Bruyneel speculates that van Aert may ultimately choose to withdraw from cyclocross entirely due to his injuries. However, he believes that while van Aert’s schedule may change, his overall perspective should remain optimistic. There’s no doubt about his participation in the Tour de France, and Bruyneel even contends that this situation may enhance his chances of performing well in the Grand Boucle: "We can be certain that Wout van Aert (https://cyclinguptodate.com/wout-van-aert) will return to his best form for the Tour de France."
Nevertheless, the mental and physical toll associated with repeated recoveries is significant, taking time away from improving performance, which could present a serious challenge for his standing in the road cycling scene. "The mental resilience of a rider like him is incomparable. He continually rebounds from setbacks, and I have every confidence that he will do so again."
Meanwhile, van der Poel has hinted at the possibility of skipping a cyclocross season (https://cyclinguptodate.com/cyclocross/it-is-something-i-think-about-yes-can-mathieu-van-der-poel-end-cyclocross-career-in-1-month) if he secures victory at the upcoming World Championships, a scenario that seems highly probable. Bruyneel believes that for various reasons, van Aert might contemplate a similar decision:
"I can easily envision him saying, ‘You know what? This is it. I’ll take fewer risks.’ However, crashes in cyclocross typically aren’t too severe. They occur frequently, but usually at low speeds and without the same dangers present on asphalt. Yet, I’m not entirely confident in that perspective, as both athletes share a deep passion for the sport and may hesitate to walk away if given the choice.
"When you look at Van der Poel and Van Aert, it's clear they participate because they genuinely love it. They cherish the sport, the ambiance, and the connection with fans. Their motivations extend beyond financial compensation, even though they earn substantial amounts. Ultimately, their affection for cyclocross is what drives them."
