Christmas celebrations have started in spectacular fashion with rounds 5 and 6 of the 2024-2025 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, hosted in Hulst (the Netherlands) and Zonhoven (Belgium). In the ten races held over an intense weekend no fewer than eight riders claimed victory, with Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) capping off the action on Sunday.
Men Elite: MVDP’s flying return
Making his competitive return a couple of months after winning the UCI Gravel World Championships, Van der Poel attacked from the start and initiated a one-man display in line with similar performances he has produced in previous seasons.
Flying solo from the first lap, the six-time UCI Men Elite Cyclo-cross World Champion eventually took victory with a gap of 1’30’’ to Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions).
“I didn’t expect this”, Van der Poel assured. “I felt really good from the beginning actually. Also, the technique was really good today so I’m happy.”
Van der Poel took his 39th UCI Men Elite Cyclo-cross World Cup win on the day after Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) claimed his maiden victory. The 24-year-old Belgian won ahead of Spain’s Felipe Orts (Ridley Racing Team), who also achieved his best result ever at this level, after standing on the podium for the first time three weeks earlier in Dublin (3rd).
“I’ve won a few big races now but the UCI World Cup is on another level and especially at the beginning of the Christmas period, it gives a big morale boost as well”, Vandeputte rejoiced. “I’m very excited with the races that are coming now.”
The overall standing is still dominated by Belgium’s Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), with 140 points. His countryman Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-FSP) follows with 118 points.
Women Elite: sensational Schreiber
Three years younger than Vandeputte, Luxembourg’s Marie Schreiber (SD Worx-Protime) impressed with an irresistible one-woman show in Hulst, getting the better of the Oranje stars on their home terrain to become the first non-Dutch winner of a UCI Women Elite Cyclo-cross World Cup since Hungary’s Blanka Vas won in Overijse in October 2021. Since then, the likes of Ceylin Alvarado, Lucinda Brand and Fem van Empel had won a staggering 42 events.
“I don’t really have the words”, Schreiber said. “I was thinking at the beginning of the season about getting better with each race and the last couple of races, I knew that it was close but there was something missing. Today it worked out. I have my win now. Tomorrow will be a new day, a new race.”
On the next day, in Zonhoven, Dutch dominance returned with Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) taking her seventh Elite victory in the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, the second this season after Namur. But she first had to reel in Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt, defying the hail and pushing through the mud with a strong ride that eventually got her 2nd position.
“I didn’t expect to win, which makes it an even better victory”, Alvarado smiled.
Third on the day, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) retains the overall lead, with 155 points, ahead of the weekend’s two winners: 124 points for Schreiber, 119 for Alvarado.
Youth classes: Carrier and Del Grosso dominate
The rounds of Hulst and Zonhoven also marked the return of UCI World Cup battles for the Men Under 23, Women Junior and Men Junior.
Impressively, Canada’s Rafaëlle Carrier won both Women Junior races, taking the lead of the overall standings with 105 points. France’s Lison Desprez follows with 85 points while the USA’s Lidia Cusack, winner in Dublin, drops to 4th (72 points).
The Netherlands’ Tibor Del Grosso was equally as dominant with victories in both Hulst and Zonhoven. But Belgium’s Jenthe Michels retained the overall lead (100 points vs 80) with two 2nd places over the weekend.
In the UCI Men Junior Cyclo-cross World Cup, victory has gone to a different rider at each round: France’s Soren Bruyère Joumard in Dublin, Belgium’s Giel Lejeune in Hulst and Italy’s Mattia Agostinacchio in Zonhoven. Lejeune (91 pts) leads the overall standings ahead of Agostinacchio (86 pts) and Bruyère Joumard (72 pts).