Wout van Aert traded his customary position at the front of the peloton for an unfamiliar spot at the back during his first training ride since winning Paris-Roubaix, taking on a supportive role alongside teammate Tiesj Benoot.
The Belgian champion, who ended years of near-misses with a historic victory in the Roubaix Veldrome on April 13, 2026, joined Benoot for a recovery spin through Flanders just days after his Monument triumph. Rather than setting the pace as he typically does, van Aert deliberately positioned himself behind his compatriot, fulfilling what he described as an “opdracht” – a specific assignment from team staff.
This marked a notable shift in routine for the Jumbo-Visma leader, who usually uses early-season training to re-establish his rhythm and test form following major victories. Instead, the session served active recovery purposes, with van Aert contributing to the effort by shielding Benoot from wind resistance rather than pushing the pace himself.
Benoot, reflecting on van Aert’s emotional state after the Roubaix win, had previously noted the relief visible in his friend’s demeanor. “I reckon it’s only human,” Benoot told IDLprocycling.com when asked about van Aert’s reaction to narrowly missing victory in Dwars door Vlaanderen weeks earlier, a sentiment that clearly resonated following the eventual Roubaix breakthrough.
The training route included a passage along the Damse Vaart canal near Bruges, where the pair briefly interrupted their ride to assist with operations on a local ferry – an unexpected detour that highlighted the informal, community-connected nature of their recovery session. Photographs from the outing captured van Aert smiling broadly even as helping to secure the vessel, a stark contrast to the intense focus he displayed during the cobbled classics.
Team sources confirmed the ride was intentionally designed as low-intensity function, prioritizing circulation and mental refreshment over physiological stress after van Aert’s maximum effort on the Roubaix velodrome. The decision to have him play a supporting role rather than lead underscored the Jumbo-Visma staff’s careful management of their star athlete’s post-Monument recovery.
For van Aert, who has often spoken about the psychological toll of coming so close to victory in Paris-Roubaix in previous years, the opportunity to simply enjoy time on the bike without performance pressure appeared genuinely welcome. His relaxed demeanor during the ferry assistance and consistent smile throughout the ride suggested the mental reset was proving effective.
Benoot, himself a classics specialist who has stood on the podium at Roubaix, provided valuable companionship during the session. Their shared understanding of the unique demands of Flemish racing made the training partnership particularly meaningful as van Aert processed his landmark achievement.
As van Aert continues his spring campaign, this unconventional training approach signals a deliberate period of recuperation before targeting upcoming objectives. The Jumbo-Visma leadership has indicated they will monitor his response to this recovery phase closely before determining his next competitive appearance.
The image of van Aert – freshly crowned as one of cycling’s modern greats – happily fulfilling a supportive role while helping operate a ferry captures the human side of professional sport that often goes unseen behind race results, and palmares.
Fans wishing to follow van Aert’s progression through the remainder of the spring classics season can monitor official team communications from Jumbo-Visma for confirmed updates on his training and racing schedule.
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