This autumn, Wout van Aert is trading in race tactics for trivia. The Belgian cycling star will feature on the hit quiz show De Slimste Mens Ter Wereld (The Smartest Person in the World), where he’ll face quickfire questions, witty banter, and the show’s trademark dry humour.
Producers have already poked fun at his appearance. “Let me down? I didn’t have to do anything,” they teased, before joking, “Who’s going to tell him he can’t use a bike in our rounds?”
It isn’t the first time Van Aert has surprised viewers. Last October, he took the stage in disguise on The Masked Singer, performing as a squirrel in a viral performance. Reflecting on the experience, he admitted the opportunity came unexpectedly: “I was the one who got the offer. It was possible because it was just as a special guest—doing a full season wouldn’t work with racing.”
The Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider confessed that stepping onto the singing stage pushed him out of his comfort zone. “I was excited and scared at the same time. That really triggered me. I thought that was exactly why I had to do it. When I saw the squirrel costume, I thought, ‘What the hell?’”
Van Aert’s latest TV adventure comes right after the close of a demanding 2025 campaign. He ended his road season at the Belgian Super 8 Classic, where Arnaud de Lie claimed victory. His year was a mix of struggles and breakthroughs: a silver medal at the cyclocross world championships, lingering doubts from past injuries, and strong top-five rides at both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
But the real highlights arrived later. At the Giro d’Italia, Van Aert triumphed on the gravel roads of Siena, outsprinting Isaac del Toro in a dramatic finish. Then, in Paris, he shocked the Tour de France by attacking on Montmartre in stage 21, dropping Tadej Pogacar to win solo—his first Tour stage victory in three years.
“The wins in Siena and Paris really made my season,” Van Aert said after wrapping up his campaign. “There were also some down moments, where I missed chances. Now it’s time for a holiday—without a bike. My family will be happy about that. Now I can really just be a dad.”
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