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In the last 4 weeks, the UCI Cyclocross World Cup has visited Ireland, France (twice), and Italy, giving meaning to the name World Cup. However, it's no exaggeration when we assert that the premier cyclocross competition in the world is distinctly Belgian, as most of the races take place in Belgium, the very heartland of this winter sport.

Therefore, this upcoming Sunday, the traditional Namur circuit will be the stage where the World Cup returns home. So, everything is set for a spectacular event, especially in the women's race, where none of the stars of the world cyclocross scene will be absent.

The course

The race unfolds around the Citadel of Namur, where constant ascents and descents lead to a significant accumulation of elevation, making it one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar.

Women's race: the favorites

As mentioned, the women's race boasts an amazing starting list, with all the prominent cyclocross riders of the current panorama present. Fem Van Empel (1200), Puck Pieterse (1200), Lucinda Brand (1200), Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (1000), and Shirin Van Anrooij (800) stand out as the top contenders for victory.

Men's race: the favorites

The highlight of the men's starting list is the debut in the 2023-2024 UCI World Cup for Thomas Pidcock (1000), while we'll have to wait another week for Wout Van Aert (1200) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (1000) to do the same. Alongside Pidcock, other contenders for victory in Namur include Eli Iserbyt (1200), Michael Vanthourenthout (1200), Joris Nieuwenhuis (600), Lars Van der Haar (1000), and Laurens Sweeck (1200).

Photo: © UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup