Wout van Aert has undergone successful surgery on the fractured ankle he sustained in a crash during the snowy Exact Cross in Mol on Friday, his Visma-Lease a Bike team have announced.
The Belgian star made his cyclo-cross return last month, taking part in five races as part of his limited season schedule. However, his 2026 got off to a disastrous start in Mol as he crashed hard while battling eternal rival Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) for the race victory.
Van Aert hit the ground on a paved section of the course and soon pulled out of the race with a bleeding knee. Later on Friday, Visma-Lease a Bike announced that he had sustained a sprained ankle and a “small fracture” in the fall.
The crash and injury mean that his ‘cross season is already over, though with his surgery coming a day later, it means Van Aert can quickly turn his focus to recovering for the upcoming road season.
The surgery was successful. Wout will now begin his recovery.
— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) January 3, 2026
Van Aert underwent surgery in Herentals, Belgium, though it’s unclear exactly how long a full recovery will take.
“The surgery was successful,” Visma-Lease a Bike announced on Saturday morning. “Wout will now begin his recovery.”
The surgery was successful. Wout will now begin his recovery.January 3, 2026
