Two children return Van Aert the Garmin he lost during the World Championships

Van Aert suffered some setbacks during the CX World Championship in Liévin. Despite them, he was able to win the silver medal and also, at the end of the race, he recovered the Garmin he lost during the event.

Van Aert confirms himself in the World Championship and recovers his lost Garmin

Wout van Aert decided at the last minute to compete in the CX World Championship in Lievin to prove to himself that his fitness and performance were better than bad luck had shown in the last races of the season. And so it was.

The Belgian won a silver medal that meant a lot to him after starting from the fourth row and having to demonstrate his class and endurance to finish in second place, just 45 seconds behind the winner, Mathieu van der Poel.

"Without a doubt, today I had a very good race. It was my best cyclocross of the season. Apart from what I couldn't control, like the start, I was able to do what I wanted and give the performance I expected," said the rider from the Visma-Lease a Bike team. "It's a confirmation that I have been improving race after race. I expected to take steps forward this winter, and I think I did."

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But, as we were saying, Van Aert had some setbacks during the race and one of them he only realized when he reached the finish line and found out he had lost his Garmin watch.

Shortly after, while talking to the media, two French children approached him to return the watch they had found on the circuit.

"Apparently, I lost my Garmin watch on the last lap. I was looking for it when I crossed the finish line, but these kids found it," explained Van Aert. "It's a bit damaged, but my coach will be happy to have the race data."

Van Aert also mentioned the tear in his shorts, clarifying that it was not due to a fall, but probably due to rubbing against a barrier on the circuit.

After this World Championship, the Belgian is preparing for his debut on the road in 2025, which will take place on February 17 in the Clásica Jaén. Subsequently, he will have a high-altitude training camp in Tenerife before facing his first major goals of the season: the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, on March 1 and 2.