Cycling fans can now embrace for more nasty thrillers this autumn and winter with the 29th edition of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cups, a series of 16 global events in which the world’s best riders will battle it out to take victory round after round until the overall winners are crowned in Hoogerheide (the Netherlands), on 23 January, one week ahead of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships celebrated in Fayetteville Arkansas (USA). But first, the action is about to kick off with the first rounds of the 2021-2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, in the USA.
From Waterloo to Hoogerheide, the biggest calendar ever
As the UCI reshuffle the Cyclo-cross World Cup with event organiser Flanders Classics, this season’s calendar features 16 rounds across six countries, the greatest number since the series was born in 1993. The previous highest dates back from 2004-2005, when Sven Nys dominated seven of the 11 events held across Europe.
This time, the European experts will cross the ocean for the first three rounds of the 2021-2022 UCI World Cup. Action kicks off with three American rounds in Waterloo (10 October), Fayetteville Arkansas (13 October) and Iowa City (17 October). It promises an intense week of racing and a perfect rehearsal three and a half months ahead of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships.
What we've all been waiting for 🙌
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) October 4, 2021
The 2021 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup returns this week for Round 1 on Sunday 10 October in Waterloo 🇺🇸#CXWorldCup | @UCIcyclocrossWC
The UCI World Cup will then head to Europe, with Zonhoven (24 October) and Overijse (31 October) welcoming the world’s best cyclo-crossers in Belgium, ahead of further rounds in Koksijde (14 November), Antwerpen (5 December), Namur (12 December) and Dendermonde (26 December).
The 2021-2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup will also set wheels in Czech Republic (Tábor, 11 November), France (Besançon, 28 November; and Flamanville, 16 January); Italy (Val di Sole, 12 December) and the Netherlands (Rucphen, 18 December; Hulst, 2 January; and Hoogerheide, 23 January).
This increased calendar offers more opportunities for the world’s best riders to prove their worth and to take an edge in the overall standings. It also means more opportunities for the fans all around the world to witness exhilarating action in diverse settings. Among the classics such as Namur, the American rounds or Tábor, Val di Sole is an unusual sight for cyclo-cross fans, but not for cycling enthusiasts, who very recently saw mountain bike stars battle for the rainbow jerseys at stake at the Italian resort.
Belgians, Oranjes and the rest of the world
Five of these events (Tábor, Namur, Dendermonde, Flamanville and Hoogerheide) are set to host dedicated races for riders in the Men Under 23, Men Junior and Women Junior ranks. Standings for the Women Under 23 contenders will be established according to their results in the Women Elite races.
Last year, it allowed the extremely gifted and versatile Hungarian Blanka Kata Vas to dominate the Women Under 23 Cyclo-cross World Cup ranking, while proving her worth among her elders. At only 19 years old, she always finished inside the top 10. She went on to impress on the road and with her mountain bike, and she’s among the main contenders set to challenge the Oranje stars who reigned supreme a year ago in cyclo-cross events.
Lucinda Brand won the first three rounds of the season and podiumed the following two to lead the overall rankings from beginning to end. Her closest rivals were her Dutch compatriots Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Denise Betsema. Brand also won the rainbow jersey, ahead of two compatriots again: Annemarie Worst and Betsema.
They’re set for more thrilling battles while youngsters will try to make the most of a complete season. Last year, Great Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt, now a Junior UCI World Champion on the road and a world record holder on the track, won the Women Junior cyclo-cross in Tábor before the following rounds were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemics.
In the men’s competition, Czech Republic’s Matej Stransky dominated the only Junior race of the season, at home in Tábor. The Men Under 23 competition was also down to one event, and the Brit Thomas Mein made the most of the occasion.
With the 2021-2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup programme, the Men Elite racing promises another thrilling competition between the pure experts, who got back into cyclo-cross action the last few weeks, and versatile talents such as Wout van Aert, Mathieu Van der Poel and Tom Pidcock who just wrapped up their road season.
Last year’s competition was dominated by Van Aert, taking his third overall UCI World Cup victory to join his compatriot Sven Nys and Dutch champion Richard Groenendaal as the most successful riders ever in this category. Toon Aerts can join this select club if he regains the crown he held after the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons.