PREVIEW | Cyclocross Hulst 2023 World Cup Men&Women - Favourites, Track, TV Guide & Poll

Preview. Round number 11 of the cyclocross World Cup is the final race of the year 2023. In Hulst, The Netherlands, the riders find a technical course and another battle between Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock.

A grey, windy and cold day, but the rain shouldn't fall in Hulst. However the terrain will certainly be muddy from rain of past days and the extensive riding on track. The start is relatively fast and flat, with a couple of tight corners and off-camber sections to string things out, however not hard enough to create real splits. There will be a short running section up a bank of the river, and an awkward uphill to grass wall after crossing the river the first time - a quite unusual feature. Likely the most difficult section of the course comes there, followed by several technical and explosive corners and a descent into the river where the terrain is relatively muddy. They will then face a very steep bank which requires a gruelling run, which can get slippery late in the day specially for the men's race - quickly followed by a climb up the stairs.

It doesn't get any easier afterwards however with some technical sections following, although after the second river crossing there can be a little restbite. and a less technically challenging finale - although it features the barriers - before crossing the finish line. A very difficult circuit in these conditions, form will be vital for the harsh running sections and many steep banks, many mistakes can be made throughout the race too which can be capitalized on.

None of the main riders were present in Loenhout, saving themselves for the big one. Hulst is a big mark on the calendar for many riders and the best of the best will be present, but on a track that will be an interesting mix. Positioning over the start will be key, as gaps can open quite quickly and it is a track where it is difficult to overtake riders. Hence you can expect riders to go hard right from the start. Puck Pieterse showcased how successful this can be in Diegem, making the winning gap on Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado right in the start of the race. Lucinda Brand had some rought starts in her comeback, but it feels like she's already worked on them enough to not make a mistake. Between Pieterse and Fem van Empel I believe the victory will be there, however as van Empel hasn't looked dominant recently, it will actually be a very hard task for her to nail the win.

The level behind should be a step below. Great riders with great quality but the best are present. Blanka Kata Vas has been impressing recently and will definitely be a contender for the Top5. Belgian duo of Laura Verdonschot and Sanne Cant have also showed great form in recent weeks and the latter can be very motivated after the victory in Loenhout. Inge van der Heijden who was on the podium in Diegem, Marie Schreiber and Zoe Bäckstedt are also strong outsiders.

Adding to that we'll have other big figures present such as Annemarie Worst, Manon Bakker, Denise Betsema, Aniek van Alphen, Leonie Bentveld, Marion Norbert Riberolle, Sara Casasola, Hélène Clauzel and Kristyna Zemanová.

A race for Mathieu van der Poel. It's an explosive track, where you can't ride in the wheels much. Although there is no sand present where he thrives, the steep banks, technical descent sections and lack of draining climbs makes it a race for the Dutchman, where he can attack right from the start. He will know Tom Pidcock has difficult starts and Wout van Aert does not have the form to go all-out for a whole hour, so it makes full sense to rip the race apart from the start. However, he did race in Diegem and today in Loenhout, more than his two rivals, which may balance out a bit more the competition.

An explosive race with many banks is a nice fit for Eli Iserbyt, who is in good form and motivation. He's got a World Cup lead to protect but I honestly think he doesn't have to worry much about it. As long as he's consistent he'll stay up there, chasing him are three riders who haven't actually fully focused in the classification and they're all teammates. Pim Ronhaar, Lars van der Haar and Joris Nieuwenhuis. The latter should do quite well on a track like this, and even performed well over the week despite a fractured finger. Michael Vanthourenhout looked good in Diegem, perhaps he can have his best level back and perform once again alongside the best.

Then we've got around a dozen quality riders, all fit for a place in the Top10 on their day. Ryan Kamp, Niels Vandeputte, Joran Wyseure, Toon Vandebosch, Witse Meeussen, Jente Michels, Quinten Hermans, Kevin Kuhn, Timon Ruegg, Camerson Mason and Felipe Orts will all be strong riders to watch. Tibor del Grosso and Emiel Verstrynge have been displaying great performances in the Christmas block now racing with the Elites and will have a close eye on them.

The women's race will start at 13:40 local time and is estimated to finish at 14:30 local time. The men's race is set to start at 15:10 local time and is estimated to finish at around 16:15 local time.

You can watch the broadcast of the race at the UCI website and Eurosport Player internationally, as well as the traditional outlets. The channels which will broadcast the race will include Sporza and Proximus (Belgium), Flobikes (Canada) and NOS.nl (Netherlands).

PREDICTIONS:

Women's Elite
*** Puck Pieterse
** Fem van Empel, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado
* Lucinda Brand, Blanka Kata Vas, Inge van der Heijden

Men's Elite
*** Mathieu van der Poel
** Wout van Aert, Eli Iserbyt
* Tom Pidcock, Joris Nieuwenhuis, Lars van der Haar