“Cancelling is the only right option, no matter how hard it is for the organization" - Laurens Sweeck & Michael Vanthourenhout support decision to call off World Cup Cabras
Cyclocross
Due to the extremely adverse weather conditions, this Sunday afternoon's World Cup Cabras has been cancelled at the last minute. Despite the potential financial ramifications of the decision, the cancellation seems to have been met with a mostly universal agreement from riders.
Crelan-Corendon star Laurens Sweeck only made a late decision to even head to Sardinia for the Italian leg of the World Cup, but as it turned out, he didn't have bothered making the trip after all. That ultimately turned out to be the wrong decision,” he admits in quotes collected by Het Nieuwsblad. “But nobody can do anything about it. It’s just not responsible to race now. We can hardly stand still here, what would that mean on a bike? It might have been a course for me with quite a bit of sand, but look, that’s how it is now.”
Another of the hopeful riders that travelled to the course full of ambition, was former European champion Michael Vanthourenhout. He and Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal teammate Eli Iserbyt have been a deadly duo so far this winter, but due to the wind, both are now set to head back to Belgium empty handed.
“Once you get here, you know that cyclocross is not feasible. It is already difficult to just stay upright, with the bike and with the support it becomes even more difficult,” explains the 30-year-old to Sporza. “I think cancelling is the only right option, no matter how hard it is for the organization. Only one thing has to happen and then the floodgates will open. Everyone has made an effort to get here, also financially. But okay: I think that today only safety should play a role.”
With the World Cup Cabras round cancelled, attention for the riders now turns to next weekend at the next round of the UCI World Cup in Namur on December 15th.
⚠️ Important update from the 2024 @UCIcyclocrossWC in Cabras 🇮🇹#CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/jQEU8CQnEr
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) December 8, 2024
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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