Preview: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Maasmechelen

The UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup 2023/24 returns this Sunday for its second round, and the first Belgian stop in the series in Maasmechelen. The Maasmechelen course, located in the north east of Belgium, is a fairly new World Cup venue, having only been raced for the first time last season, when Laurens Sweeck and Fem van Empel took the elite victories.

This year, coming early in the season, we don’t know much about the contenders heading in the Maasmechelen, but after the first round of the World Cup in Waterloo, USA, Van Empel and Thibau Nys head to Belgium as the series leaders, and likely big favourites.

Read more:

• Fem van Empel wins Waterloo Cyclo-Cross World Cup
• Thibau Nys wins his first World Cup in Waterloo

With rain showers forecast over the weekend, this somewhat tame course threatens to become wet and muddy carnage, and should be a thoroughly Belgian way to kick off the European leg of the World Cup series.

Here’s everything you need to know about the elite races on Sunday.

The course

© UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup

The Maasmechelen course

After getting underway in Waterloo in the US earlier this month, the World Cup returns to the cyclo-cross heartlands in Belgium this weekend for a typically Belgian course.

The lap has everything you’d expect in a CX race, with sharp climbs, barriers, sand and plenty of loose, grassy sections. However, there are also a lot of flat and fast sections on the Maasmechelen course, so being a strong rider on the flat is key here, as the pace will be high through these sections. Riders won’t be able to rely on just technical skills or climbing ability – this will be a test to stick with the high pace and get through the course smoothly each lap.

Read more: A beginner's guide to cyclo-cross

On weather watch, there is some rain forecast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so we could be looking at a wet or at least muddy race.

A lot of the Maasmechelen course is fairly hard packed, but there are also some looser sections which could become very treacherous and churned up if it rains. This will make the sharp climbs and descents particularly difficult.

The contenders

In the women’s field, it’s very hard to look past Fem van Empel (Jumbo-Visma). The World Champion is unbeaten this season, and has won all of the last four World Cup races she’s started, dating back to the end of last season.

Van Empel is often an unstoppable force, with only really Shirin van Anrooij and Puck Pieterse able to match her, so with that pair taking a break from CX after busy seasons on the road and mountain bike, these upcoming races are Van Empel’s to lose.

The rider that has come closest to Van Empel so far is Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck), so she should be one to watch for the podium. Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) and Aniek van Alphen (Cyclocross Reds) should also be in the mix. Young star Lauren Molengraaf (Circus-Reuz-Technord) is kicking off her World Cup campaign in Maasmechelen, and is definitely a rider to keep an eye on.

© Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images

Thibau Nys will be a rider to watch in Maasmechelen

In the men’s race, Van Empel’s fellow winner in Waterloo Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) will be dreaming of a second World Cup win, this time on Belgian soil, and he certainly looks in good enough form to do it. However, the competition will be very tough, with all the big specialists like Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions), Michael Vantourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) lining up on Sunday.

Defending World Cup champion Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) is also starting his WC campaign in Maasmechelen after missing Waterloo through injury. He will have a lot of motivation to do well if he is fit, and to try and make up for being a round down on most of his competitors.

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