Wout Van Aert could be out for nearly three months, according to the Belgian's surgery to repair the small fracture he sustained during the cyclocross race in Mol.

The Belgian was in the thick of an epic race on the snow with Van der Poel when he fell badly, injuring his ankle.  

Visma | Lease a Bike (Van Aert's team) has not yet released an official statement regarding the duration of Van Aert's absence , but the sentiment filtering out of Belgium is not positive; the first negative sign was the end of Van Aert's cyclocross season. Local medical sources describe the Belgian's injury as "a simple joint fracture, operated on with osteosynthesis." This surgery offers the patient greater mobility, thus allowing him to reduce his recovery time, but it seems unlikely that Van Aert will be out of action for only two weeks, as initially reported.

“Complete consolidation of the bone takes six to eight weeks, with complete immobilization in a cast or brace for a month,” Gilbert Versier, an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist on the Tour de France, told L'Equipe. “Standing and walking can be resumed after four to six weeks, while rollers can be done starting from six weeks, sometimes four if the fracture heals favorably.”

Even “our” reference , Dr. Stefano Teramo , in his hot analysis published on Instagram, spoke of a return to competitive activity in about eight to ten weeks (around March), with a return to the rollers in about a month.

WATCH THE REEL HERE 👉 https://www.instagram.com/p/DTBxXBZiOaW/

According to Mathieu Le Strat, doctor for Groupama FDJ (who was in the area last year), Van Aert could get back on the bike in about a month.