Wout van Aert Back on Bike Just One Week After Elbow Surgery

Belgian cycling star Wout van Aert has made a remarkable return to the saddle just six days after undergoing emergency surgery on an infected elbow, completing a 67.6 km charity ride on Sunday. The 31-year-old Visma-Lease a Bike rider shared his ride data on Strava with the caption “Eerste poging om mijn stuur weer vast te houden” (“First attempt to hold my handlebars again”), signaling the start of his recovery after a potentially life-threatening medical scare.

A Rapid Return

Van Aert rode the Olivia Classic charity ride in the Kempen region of Belgium, covering 67.6 km at an average speed of 30.6 km/h in just over two hours. The event supported the Olivia Fund, a charity that fights childhood cancer. The ride started in Herentals, went toward Vosselaar, and returned via Oostmalle and Zoersel.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, van Aert chose a group ride at a relaxed pace, but for the Belgian champion, it represents a huge morale boost after a difficult week.

From Sepsis Scare to the Saddle

The comeback is all the more remarkable given the severity of van Aert’s condition just days earlier. The trouble began on 1 June 2026 when van Aert crashed during training on his time trial bike, sustaining a wound on his elbow. What initially seemed minor quickly deteriorated into a serious medical emergency.

Van Aert started the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné) on 7 June with a bandaged elbow, but the wound became infected and progressively worsened. After winning stage 5 on 12 June, the swelling became so severe that he withdrew from the race and returned to Belgium for medical tests.

By 15 June, the infection had formed an abscess, van Aert had developed a fever, and doctors performed emergency surgery to clean the wound and prevent sepsis (blood poisoning). Mathieu Heijboer, Head of Performance at Visma-Lease a Bike, described the situation as “very serious,” telling Sporza that the intervention was necessary to prevent blood poisoning. “There was an abscess on his elbow, which was completely red. Wout had a fever and couldn’t move that elbow anymore,” Heijboer said.

Tour de France Absence

On 16 June, Visma-Lease a Bike announced that van Aert would miss the 2026 Tour de France (starting 4 July) — his first absence from the race since his debut in 2019. The decision was made in consultation with the medical staff, with van Aert acknowledging that starting in top form was not feasible.

“This is a huge disappointment. The Tour de France is one of my most important goals every year,” van Aert said in a statement, as reported by Sporza. “Unfortunately, that crash in training threw a spanner in the works. My full focus is now on my recovery, so I can perform at my best level later this season.”

Heijboer noted that keeping van Aert out of the Tour squad was not a difficult decision given the seriousness of the situation. The team is expected to announce van Aert’s replacement by 23 June.

What’s Next for Van Aert?

Van Aert’s rapid return to cycling — just six days after surgery — is extraordinary even by his standards. The Belgian has a history of remarkable comebacks from injuries, having returned quickly from a serious ankle injury sustained in a cyclocross crash earlier this year.

According to Wielerflits, Heijboer confirmed that the worst pain has passed and van Aert is now on a new course of antibiotics that is proving effective. He requires daily hospital visits for wound monitoring.

Looking ahead, van Aert is expected to target the Vuelta a España (starting 22 August) and the World Championships in Montréal (September 2026) if his recovery continues on track. His team has emphasized that full health remains the priority before any competitive return is considered.

For now, the sight of van Aert back on his bike — even at a gentle pace — is an encouraging sign for fans and a testament to the resilience of one of cycling’s most versatile talents.