PREVIEW | Cyclocross World Cup Antwerpen 2024-2025 Men & Women - Favourites, Track, TV Guide & Poll

The first round of the UCI World Cup! In Antwerpen, the cyclocross specialists and seasoned riders will finally start the most important cup of the winter, six weeks after the "traditional" start of the season. We preview the races, missing the 'big three' on the men's side, but both men's and women's races should provide very tight and spectacular battles for a prestigious race.

Extremely windy from the south today in Belgium, which is not very unusual at this point of year to be honest. It will make a difference, however riders won't be terribly exposed to it. The start features a long flat section but quickly the riders find themselves in steep and tight bank areas, with the barriers also placed close to the start. It will be a course by a large body of water, there will be pockets of sand throughout the course where running will be necessary, and technique will certainly do no harm.

The very tough sandy sections can carve major gaps as mistakes are expected throughout the race. It's one where gaps are likely to appear from early on, despite lacking the climbs, these will definitely be the most important features of the race, which should be quite explosive and where gaps can be made from the start. A good start will be important, as little errors in the bunch can cause blockings more than a usual track.

*** Fem van Empel
** Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Lucinda Brand
* Laura Verdonschot, Sara Casasola, Marie Schreiber

Prediction: Fem van Empel

I predict Fem van Empel to win this one, she will want the World Cup this winter and in Antwerpen she finds a nice course for her, relatively fast but with tough technical sections in the mix. She will be strong and the woman to beat in my opinion but if Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado doesn't commit big mistakes I see a battle that will be difficult. Lucinda Brand does not benefit much from the explosive course but in her current form she cannot be discounted from the win.

There will be several outsiders as in this race positioning, technique and avoiding mistakes will make a huge difference. Laura Verdonschot is a sand specialist and she could even contest the podium, I believe Sara Casasola will be a bit of the opposite and will struggle, but outside the sand she can hold her own and still be in contention for a podium. Blanka Kata Vas is an absolute wildcard; Marie Schreiber I expect a good race out of her specially as she likes to get holeshots and then can benefit from splits happening behind in this treacherous course... Inge van der Heijden, Hélène Clauzel, Annemarie Worst, Leonie Bentveld and Marion Norbert Riberolle are all women to look out to as possible Top5 finishers.

*** Laurens Sweeck
** Thibau Nys, Niels Vandeputte
* Eli Iserbyt, Felipe Orts, Lars van der Haar

Prediction: Laurens Sweeck

I somehow sense a Laurens Sweeck victory this Sunday... He's been inconsistent but when in good legs, he has put on some stellar riders over the past few weeks. His victories in the Superprestige Cup show that he has been in good form and in a course decided largely by the sand and technical features, I think it suits him like a glove. But this does not mean others won't like it either, at this moment I see no weak spot in Thibau Nys and the way the season has been going, it's safe to say he's just as much of a favourite to take this first World Cup win.

In my opinion those two are a small level above the rest in terms of favouritism for this one. Niels Vandeputte is in great form and I think will love this course; Eli Iserbyt should like it too but tomorrow's effort from Kortrijk for both may cost a few seconds... Whilst Felipe Orts argues the muddy courses suit him best I really do believe this kind of track will see a ride for podium contention, and then I see another split for the rest.

Lars van der Haar, Pim Ronhaar, Michael Vanthourenhout, Jente Michels, Toon Vandebosch, Toon Aert, Gerben Kuypers, Michael Boros and Kevin Kuhn will all be outsiders whilst there is also interest to see how Joran Wyseure does in the sand, after he took a surprising win earlier in the year on the first Superprestige round.

The women's race will start at 13:40 and end at around 15:10 local time. The men's race will start at 14:25 and end at 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 (Belgium), and Ceska Televize (Czech Republic), NOS (Netherlands) and RaiSport (Italy).