Wout van Aert recovered and ready to return to racing at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Le Samyn after ankle fracture threatened to disrupt season start

Visma-Lease a Bike announced their men's selections for Opening Weekend, confirming that Wout van Aert will begin his 2026 season at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this Saturday.

The Belgian superstar will not compete in the more sprinter-friendly Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday, with the team fielding the resurgent Christophe Laporte and sprint ace Matthew Brennan.

Van Aert will compete in the Ename Samyn Classic (formerly Le Samyn) on Tuesday alongside Laporte.

The 31-year-old Van Aert has one victory each in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (2022) and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (2024) but has never competed in Le Samyn before.

The race includes numerous cobbled sectors and is considered a mini-Paris-Roubaix, along with the GP de Denain (March 19), which takes place just across the border in France.

Mathieu van der Poel was victorious in Le Samyn last year before going on to win Milan-San Remo, the E3 Saxo Classic and Paris-Roubaix.

Van Aert, who is still seeking a maiden Paris-Roubaix victory, had his cyclo-cross season cut short by a crash during a snowy Exact Cross round in Mol on January 2, which left him with a fractured ankle.

Fortunately, the recovery from the injury went smoothly, and Van Aert is on track for his Spring Classics goals, which also include Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo this year.

Visma-Lease a Bike for Omloop Nieuwsblad (February 28)

• Wout van Aert
• Christophe Laporte
• Axel Zingle
• Matthew Brennan
• Timo Kielich
• Edoardo Affini
• Per Strand Hagenes

Visma-Lease a Bike for Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (March 1)

• Christophe Laporte
• Axel Zingle
• Matthew Brennan
• Timo Kielich
• Matisse Van Kerckhove
• Filippo Fiorelli
• Pietro Mattio

Visma-Lease a Bike for Le Samyn (March 3)

• Christophe Laporte
• Wout van Aert
• Loe van Belle
• Matisse Van Kerckhove
• Aldo Taillieu
• Pietro Mattio
• Per Strand Hagenes