For Benoot, the emotional impact is clear. “For me, it is a real disappointment to miss the classics for the first time in my career. I will be the biggest supporter of my teammates in front of the TV. I am really motivated to come back on a higher level than ever before. A big thanks to the team for the confidence in these difficult times.”
A Spring built into his identity
This is not a routine injury update. For Benoot, the Classics are not just part of the calendar, they are the backbone of his career.
His defining moment remains victory at Strade Bianche in 2018, when he conquered brutal conditions to take a career-shaping win on the Tuscan gravel. Since then, he has been a constant presence in the biggest one-day races, repeatedly featuring deep into finals at the Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race.
Missing the entire Spring block, therefore, represents more than lost race days. It interrupts a run of consistency that has defined him as one of the peloton’s most reliable Classics performers.
Benoot has long been a fixture of the Spring Classics season
What the injury means
A lumbar disc herniation is particularly significant for a rider built around long, aggressive race positions and repeated high-torque efforts on cobbles. Surgery signals that the problem could not be managed conservatively. While the procedure was described as successful, recovery timelines in spinal cases depend heavily on progression rather than fixed dates.
At 31, Benoot sits at an age where many Classics specialists combine physical resilience with peak race intelligence. Experience in positioning, timing and energy management often proves decisive in the Spring. Losing an entire campaign at this stage is a substantial competitive setback, even if it is not necessarily career-defining.
For Decathlon, the impact is immediate. Benoot was expected to be a cornerstone of their one-day strategy, offering both leadership and depth in selective finales. His absence reshapes tactical options across cobbled and Ardennes races.
Looking beyond 2026
Benoot’s statement suggests his focus is already fixed on return rather than regret. The ambition to come back “on a higher level than ever before” reflects the mentality that has kept him relevant year after year in the most unforgiving races on the calendar.
The 2026 Spring will unfold without one of its most consistent protagonists. But if Benoot’s career to date proves anything, it is that resilience and patience are as much a part of his make-up as power and endurance.
For a rider defined by the Classics, this is an unfamiliar pause. The next chapter will depend not on cobbles or gravel, but on recovery and timing.