Brothers in arms: United by crashes, Van Aert (Dwars door Vlaanderen) and Cras (Tour of the Basque Country) train together

The cycling spring of 2024 was unfortunately marked by severe crashes, particularly in Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of the Basque Country. Thankfully, the recovery process is well underway for those involved. Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Steff Cras (TotalEnergies) were among the worst affected but managed to get back on their bikes for a solid ride together on Saturday.

On March 27, Van Aert crashed hard during Dwars door Vlaanderen, resulting in multiple broken ribs, a fractured sternum, and a broken collarbone. A week later, on April 4, Cras met the pavement in the Basque Country, suffering from a punctured lung, a broken rib, and fractured vertebrae. Despite these setbacks, both riders are back training, highlighting once again the extraordinary resilience of professional athletes.

On Strava, they could already see the humor in their situation, given their titles. 'Both sporting a cras(h) on the bodywork,' Van Aert wittily titled his post. Cras also contributed: Herentals lung department on tours,' wrote the strong climber from the French TotalEnergies team.

The speed they're managing on their rides speaks volumes about their recovery. Van Aert covered his 121-kilometer training route in approximately 3 hours and 36 minutes, maintaining an average speed of 33.6 kilometers per hour. While he missed this year's Giro d'Italia, his preparation points to a promising summer. Cras, on the other hand, is gearing up for his main event of the year, the Tour de France, which kicks off in late June in Florence. Whether Van Aert will join him at the starting line remains to be seen.

Photo: Van Aert and Cras share a training ride with creative titles on Strava