Two former champions unite to lead Belgium's hunt for another European title on home course
Cyclocross
The cyclocross season has barely started yet, but the 2025 European Championships are already around the corner and a topic of the day for all the specialists. Belgium as a men's cyclocross powerhouse are the ones that are expected to dictate the pace and not a single thing about that changes in the absence of their biggest stars Thibau Nys and Wout Van Aert.
This year's championship will be extra important for the home riders, as the event returns to Belgium following a three-year break. With two former european champions in their ranks, the Belgian national team will aim for at least one gold medal in the main events of the next weekend in Middelkerke.
The eyes will be on former the duo of european champions Toon Aerts (2016) and Michael Vanthourenhout (2022 and 2023) with the latter as the latest winner of the race at the start in absence of compatriot Thibau Nys whose winter will start later compared to previous season. Aerts is coming into this winter fresh after a great road campaign this summer with Lotto and will hope to rise to his best version.
Another Belgian ex-European champion from 2020, Eli Iserbyt, will be absent as was already the case in the first rounds of this winter. The 28-year-old is still recovering from a surgery that should solve his persistent problems from the second half of last season.
In the elite women's race, Belgian champion Marion Norbert Riberolle will carry the hopes of home crowds against the strong fleet of Dutch cycling. On Saturday, November 8, she will attempt unlikely to succeed Sanne Cant, Belgium's last female European champion from 2017.
As two-time european champion Jente Michels graduated from the under-23 category at the end of last winter, we will find a new champion in the category for young riders. Although not an overwhelming favorite, 4th man from last year Yordi Corsus will attempt to follow in his upperclassman's footsteps on the course in Middelkerke.
Jente Michels celebrating his second European title
Belgian elite men for European cyclocross Championships:
- Toon Aerts
- Michael Vanthourenhout
- Emiel Verstrynge
- Jente Michels
- Laurens Sweeck
- Niels Vandeputte
- Joran Wyseure
Belgian elite women for European cyclocross Championships:
- Marion Norbert Riberolle
- Julie Brouwers
- Kiona Crabbé
- Jinse Peeters
- Laura Verdonschot
Belgian under-23 men for European cyclocross Championships:
- Yordi Corsus
- Kay De Bruyckere
- Kenay De Moyer
- Fabian Maes
- Viktor Vandenberghe
- Arthur Van Den Boer
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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