Jumbo-Visma runners: Van Aert goes for solid run through wet snow, Benoot prepares for trail run

Wout van Aert is now a week and a half out from his first cyclo-cross race of this winter, which means that the training intensity of the Belgian Jumbo-Visma rider is gradually being increased. He does this, among other things, by running, an activity which his teammate Tiesj Benoot is also heavily involved in this offseason.

On Tuesday, Van Aert had his 'annual wake-up call', as he described his first cyclo-cross training. The following day, however, he was already out again for a 10-kilometer run in the early morning, at a nice pace of 4:30 minutes per kilometer. "Wet snow," said the caption this time, undoubtedly referring to the weather conditions in the Low Countries on Wednesday morning.

Benoot prepares for trail run

Meanwhile, a teammate and compatriot of Van Aert's is also hitting the ground running: Benoot, described last week by his buddy as the 'Ghent gazelle', let it be known on Strava that he completed his final check for Sunday on Wednesday. And what is that check for, exactly? In the comments, he mentions the Trail de la Soupe run, a running event in La Roche-en-Ardenne. At this event, participants can choose from four distances: 12, 22, 30 and 45 kilometers.

Benoot’s preparation certainly won’t be lacking: following the end of the cycling season, he quickly donned running shoes for several runs per week, also setting a decent pace.