Van Aert at the cyclo-cross world championships in Bieles, Luxembourg in 2017. — © BELGIUM
Good news for Wout van Aert. The Jumbo-Visma cyclist, who is currently preparing for the World Championship on the road in Wollongong, Australia, can keep the two bikes with which he became world champion in cyclo-cross in 2017 and 2018. His former sports director Nick Nuyens had it confiscated through a bailiff.
Jan-Pieter De Vlieger and Sam Varewyck
The ruling is part of the major lawsuit between Van Aert and his old employer Sniper Cycling, represented by Nick Nuyens and Chris Compagnie. The malaise between the two parties started after Van Aert prematurely terminated his contract with the team on 17 September 2018 due to urgent reasons.
Van Aert was subsequently incorporated by his current team Jumbo-Visma, but became involved in a lawsuit with Sniper Cycling. That is still ongoing and will soon be before the Court of Cassation. That must decide whether the judgment of the Labor Court – which ruled that Van Aert committed a breach of contract – will be upheld.
Cycling in shop Niels Albert
In January of this year, Sniper Cycling submitted its statement to the Court of Cassation. The next day, a bailiff showed up in the Niels Albert Bike Store in Tremelo, with good reason: Van Aert had placed the two bikes in the shop of ex-team leader Albert with which he had won the cyclo-cross World Championships in 2017 and 2018. Van Aert would have received that from Nuyens as a present.
Sniper Cycling held in court that it is the rightful owner of the two bicycles and had them seized without notice. The Van Aert camp did not stop there: they went to the attachment judge, after which the bicycles were reclaimed. Van Aert was proved right in the Mechelen court of first instance this week and is therefore regarded as the rightful owner of the bicycles.
