Historical battles and unprecedented spectacles. In their 76th edition, the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships visit another new venue as the event is held, for the first time, in Liévin, in the north of France. It’s 21 years since the country last hosted the battles for the rainbow jersey in this discipline, in Pont-Château, 2004. On that occasion, local French riders won gold and silver in the Women Elite competition with Laurence Leboucher and Maryline Salvetat respectively. Belgium took all the men’s titles with Bart Wellens (Elite), Kevin Pauwels (Under-23) and Niels Albert (Junior).
Two decades later, the French mud is set to deliver new landmarks, from 31 January to 2 February.
Among today’s experts, some are already familiar with the Liévin setting, as the venue is used to hosting national events, European Championships (2008) and UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup rounds. On the most recent occasion, in 2012, Marianne Vos won the Women Elite race, Lars van der Haar the Men Under 23 and Mathieu Van der Poel the Men Junior.
Some 270 riders from 25 countries are now gearing for fresh battles on the Val Souchez circuit, where seven UCI World Champion titles will be awarded across an action-packed weekend. “It's a very physical circuit, both in terms of the gradient and the linear sections that allow you to pick up speed,” describes France’s national coach François Trarieux.
Men Elite: Van der Poel against the world and history
So far so great for Mathieu Van der Poel in this 2024-2025 campaign: seven victories from seven races, including five rounds of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup. With his skills and power, the Dutchman has been a step above his rivals, as illustrated most recently with his one-man-shows in Maasmechelen (Belgium) and Hoogerheide (Netherlands).
At 30 years old, Van der Poel is not only battling with his contemporary rivals but also the most iconic names of the discipline. After he took his sixth UCI Men Elite Cyclo-cross World Champion rainbow jersey a year ago in Tábor (Czechia), the Dutch star is now chasing Belgium’s Eric De Vlaeminck, who leads the all-time record in the category, with seven titles.
Can anyone stand between Van der Poel and the record? As in tradition, Belgium comes with an impressive cohort of talents, led by UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup overall winner Michael Vanthourenhout and bolstered by the late addition of Wout van Aert, Van der Poel’s closest rival.
Women Elite: battle of queens
The women’s competitions have seen some unique talent rise to take the rainbow jersey, as most recently illustrated by Fem van Empel’s back-to-back UCI Cyclo-cross World Champion titles (2023, 2024), taking over from her Dutch countrywoman and Team Visma | Lease a Bike partner Marianne Vos, who claimed a record 8th Elite triumph in 2022.
Vos will be absent this weekend, but Van Empel is faced with an impressive depth of talent, as illustrated by the variety of winners in the 2024-2025 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, including two other Dutchwomen who have already worn the rainbow jersey - Lucinda Brand and Ceylin Alvarado - as well as Hungary’s Blanka Vas and Luxembourg’s Marie Schreiber.
Seasoned riders are all gearing up for the biggest rendez-vous of their season. And although she didn’t take a victory yet this season, Great Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt, who took the rainbow jersey last year in the Women Under 23 category, also finished the UCI World Cup season on a high, with a 2nd place in Maasmechelen.
Youth classes: rising stars to take the spotlight
Talent will be plentiful in Liévin with more titles to be awarded in the Women and Men Under 23 classes, as well as Women and Men Junior categories.
There is high expectation for the Netherlands’ Tibor Del Grosso following his dominant performance in the Men Under 23 racing this season, his last before he steps up to the Elite events. And the action in the 2024-2025 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup promises thrilling battles all across the board at the UCI Worlds, especially with young French talents preparing to delight the home crowds.
Winner of the Women Junior race last year, Célia Gery has brilliantly stepped up to the Under 23 ranks. The likes of Lise Revol and Lison Desprez are ready to battle with Canada’s Rafaëlle Carrier to succeed Gery. And their countryman Soren Bruyère Joumard is a natural favourite in the Men Junior race after winning the overall rankings in his category in the 2024-2025 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup ahead of Italy's Mattia Agostinacchio.
Before all the individual action takes place, established champions and rising stars from all categories will race together for the team relay, kicking off the competition on Friday. France is the defending UCI World Champion in the team event.