Amongst all the hype and excitement in the build-up to the Cyclocross World Championship, there had been an underlying feeling of worry in Hoogerheide as the future of the course looked in doubt. Allaying these fears, UCI CEO Peter Van Den Abeele insists there is no need to panic.
“That is not up for discussion for me,” Van Den Abeele explained to Sporza. “Hoogerheide is a classic and deserves this. They have already hosted 3 World Championships and 16 World Cups here. It was a super nice World Championships and there was no animosity."
"This was another World Championship like before the COVID period. Unfortunately there is only one winner, but the sport definitely wins.” he continued. Whilst Hoogerheide looks set to continue as part of the UCI World Cup, where else could be added to the calendar in the coming years?
“Negotiations are underway with New York,” Van Den Abeele reveals. "I think we may only have one race in the US next season. Does that still make sense? It makes the trip shorter for the riders and the cost goes down. London and Munich? In the near future, yes. And what about New York? Absolute. That is being negotiated. That would be fantastic."