With three major cyclocross races coming up in the next three days, there's both good news and bad news for Visma-Lease a Bike and their pair of 'cross stars.
Wout van Aert is set to make his season debut on Monday at the Superprestige in Mol, his first competitive outing since crashing out of the Vuelta a España in September.
However, the Dutch team will miss world champion Fem van Empel this weekend after she crashed during a recon ride this week.
The 22-year-old Van Empel has won six of her 11 races so far this season and finished on the podium in four of the other five. She won't be adding to her list of triumphs at the UCI World Cup rounds in Hulst and Zonhoven on Saturday and Sunday, though.
Visma-Lease a Bike announced that Van Empel, who fell several times on the way to a seventh-place finish in Namur last weekend, hurt her knee after crashing during a recon ride ahead of the two World Cup meets.
"Fem van Empel fell during a recon ride this week and hit her knee," the team announced. "She's experiencing discomfort and, unfortunately, will not be able to start in the World Cups in Hulst and Zonhoven this weekend.
"Wishing you a speedy recovery, Fem!"
In more positive news for the team, Van Aert will return to action on Monday to kick off his limited six-race cyclocross campaign this winter.
The Belgian will face off against his eternal rival Mathieu van der Poel in Mol before taking on the Exact Cross Loenhout (December 27), Superprestige Gullegem (January 4) and World Cup rounds in Dendermonde (January 5), Benidorm (January 19), and Maasmechelen (January 25).
Speaking to Red Bull, Van Aert said that there's "still a question mark" over how competitive he can be upon his return to cyclocross.
"I had to focus on my rehabilitation for a long time. Even now I am still working on getting my right leg as strong as my left leg," he said, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.
"That of course means there is less time to train specific cyclocross aspects. So, it is also a question mark how competitive I will be. But that I am really looking forward to it, that is beyond doubt."
While he may not be at full strength straight away, Van Aert did call racing through the winter "a ritual" and called the sport his "first love", even if his reduced campaign will be raced with his focus more on preparation for the 2025 road season and the spring Classics.
"It's really a ritual for me to dive into the 'cross in the winter. It's my second nature, my first love that I always return to," he said.
"For me, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix remain the absolute main goals. When I think about that, I just want to do everything to achieve that."
