The world of cycling is abuzz with the tragic news that Eli Iserbyt has had to retire early due to an irreparable iliac artery injury. The sport is also grappling with the potential loss of Mathieu van der Poel if he wins his eighth world title in Hulst. But here's where it gets controversial: Johan Bruyneel believes that the crashes and risks Wout van Aert takes in cyclocross may also lead him to consider retirement.
Wout van Aert, the Belgian rider, hasn't been seen on his bike for eight days after a season-ending crash at the Exact Cross Mol. The race, which was the first real duel between van Aert and van der Poel in the winter, ended abruptly when van Aert slid out in a corner and crashed. Bruyneel, in an interview with The Move podcast, expressed his sympathy for van Aert, saying, "It seemed like he was on par with Mathieu van der Poel. If you look at the last two or three years, it's been a while since that happened. Van der Poel normally has the advantage, but this is what we all wanted. Now we'll never know."
The crash left van Aert with an ankle fracture, which will require weeks off the bike and the road. This has ended his cyclocross season and compromised his entire preparation for the spring classics, his absolute goal. Bruyneel acknowledges that van Aert will miss the classics, but questions whether he will be in form. "Three months is very realistic. It's not a serious fracture. But it's a huge setback for the classics, if he can even make it. But his preparation has been compromised."
Not only will van Aert's form be compromised, but his confidence as well. The Belgian already struggles with his position in the increasingly dangerous peloton since his 2024 Dwars door Vlaanderen crash. This fall will only continue the set of obstacles that he has been tackling. In 2024, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider suffered a fall at the Belgian classic and then again at the Vuelta a España, derailing his year completely. In 2025, he fell ill before the Giro d'Italia but managed to have a somewhat regular season, although the start followed his recovery from the Vuelta.
Now back on the sidelines, it provides another opportunity for Mathieu van der Poel to grow the gap between the two through more training and better health. Bruyneel believes that, for different reasons, van Aert may follow the same route: "It's definitely not good. It's a major setback: he seems doomed. Just when he seems to be closing in on Van der Poel... I feel for him enormously; it's insane."
Bruyneel believes van Aert may stop racing cyclocross, but his overall outlook should remain the same. His Tour de France participation hasn't been put in doubt, and Bruyneel even argues that this improves his chances of being well at the Grand Boucle: "It's a guarantee that we'll see Wout van Aert at his best in the Tour de France."
However, the toll it takes to make so many recoveries is high, and it is time spent recovering his level instead of improving it, which ultimately poses a big issue towards his level in the road peloton. "The mental strength of such a rider is on a different level. He has to come back every time, and he will do so again, I have no doubt about it."
Van der Poel had previously hinted at potentially skipping a cyclocross season if he were to win the upcoming World Championships - something which seems very likely. Bruyneel believes that, for different reasons, Van Aert may follow the same route: "I can see him saying 'you know what, this is it. I'll limit the risks.' But usually, crashes in cyclocross aren't too serious. They happen a lot, but at low speed and not on asphalt." However, he doesn't have much confidence in that, arguing that both love the discipline and may not want to leave it if it's their choice. "If you look at Van der Poel and Van Aert, you see they do this because they love it. They love the sport, the atmosphere, and the fans. They don't do it for the money, even if they get paid a pretty penny. But it's nothing compared to their other contracts. They simply love cyclocross."
This situation raises an important question: Will van Aert's injuries and the toll of constant recoveries lead him to reconsider his future in cyclocross? The answer may lie in his love for the sport and the discipline, but it's clear that he faces a challenging road ahead.
