Wout van Aert to miss Omloop Nieuwsblad as Visma-Lease a Bike rider suffering with illness - 'Big blow for me'
Updated 26/02/2026 at 12:24 GMT
There will be no Wout van Aert at Omloop Nieuwsblad, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, after it was confirmed that he was suffering from illness. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider has recovered from an ankle injury sustained last month and was set to begin his road season this weekend, but he will be out of action. He is still scheduled to compete at the Ename Samyn Classic on Tuesday as things stand.
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Wout van Aert is to miss this weekend's Omloop Nieuwsblad, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, as the Visma-Lease a Bike rider has fallen ill.
The Belgian was scheduled to make his 2026 racing debut on home soil but is not fit enough to compete.
It remains to be seen whether Van Aert will recover in time to ride the Ename Samyn Classic on Tuesday.
Van Aert said: "Obviously, it’s a big blow for me to miss out on my first race, having prepared for the classics season the whole winter.
"We had a good training camp at Sierra Nevada and I was feeling really strong. But unfortunately, it’s also that time of the year where it’s easy to fall ill.
"I remain positive about the feeling I had on training and am confident that I will be able to return to racing soon. Just not this Saturday."
Visma-Lease a Bike said in their statement that the 31-year-old would "take his time to recover".
Pietro Mattio will replace Van Aert in Visma's lineup, with Christophe Laporte set to lead the team despite crashing out of the Vuelta a Andalucia last weekend, alongside Britain's Matthew Brennan.
For Van Aert, it is the latest setback in a period that has often been troubling. He fractured his ankle at the Exact Cross cyclo-cross race in Mol in January and required surgery, but recovered well to ready himself for the road season.
He was due to take part in an altitude training camp in the Sierra Nevada mountains, but bad weather disrupted those plans and meant he instead had to train indoors.
Van Aert revealed after his ankle injury that there was some lingering discomfort.
"It probably looks worse than it is," he said. "Walking is still painful at times and I have to be careful not to take too many steps.
"It’s been good that I’ve already got some time on the bike - and it feels more or less fine. It’s always amazing to be back on the bike.
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"It’s more or less okay. The fact that my foot fits in the shoe is a good sign. It still goes up and down a bit. We’re working daily to improve it. Since I started riding again, I’m confident I’ll recover quickly."
He added: "They call it a joint fracture, and I had surgery the next day. Since then, it’s gone relatively smoothly, and I could already get on the rollers quite quickly.
"Right now, when I’m on the bike without intensity, it’s okay. My foot is basically locked in the cycling shoe, so that’s manageable.
"Normal life is more complicated. Walking takes a lot of energy, and when I put my foot down, the swelling comes back.
"The fracture is held together with a screw and the ligaments around it need recovery, so we’re looking at it day by day."
Watch and stream the 2026 cycling season - including the Tour de France in July - live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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