Racing World

Final of the Cyclocross World Cup in Besancon: the favourites

A last dance but no direct confrontation between Van Aert and Van der Poel and between Van Empel and Pieterse before the world championships in Hoogerheide on February 4/5.

Written by

David Finetto

January 28 2023

The last stage in Benidorm was a great show between Van Aert and Van Der Poel - ©UCI Cyclocross

A last stage of the World Cup that may not give the usual show. The big names are holding onto the world championship and don't want to reveal their cards. In the men's sphere, the trio Pidcock, Van Der Poel and Van Aert have accustomed us well with their show. Van Empel and Van Aert, both of Team Jumbo Visma, will instead be present today at the X20 Trofee. While Van der Poel and Pieterse will be present at the last Cup in France in Besancon.

Fem Van Empel wins in Benidorm — ©UCI Cyclocross

The 2 2022 cyclo-cross champions, namely Marianne Vos and Tom Picock, pulled the plug early to present themselves to the road season in good shape.

Who is competing this weekend?

Saturday – X20 Hamme: Fem van Empel, Shirin van Anrooij, Wout van Aert, Michael Vanthourenhout, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado
Sunday – Besançon World Cup: Mathieu van der Poel, Puck Pieterse, Silvia Persico, Laurens Sweeck, Eli Iserbyt

Van Aert, Van der Poel, Van Empel and Pieterse will not see each other again until Hoogerheide, 4 and 5 February, where the cyclo-cross world championships will take place. And it will be an absolute show!

In this article:Besancon, Cyclocross, World Cup, Racing World, World Cyclocross Racing

Written by David Finetto

[email protected] I am a fan of everything that has 2 wheels: at a young age I practiced road and track cycling (Italian Allievi champion). At the age of 18 I passed into the cross country competing at national/international level as an Under23. Past Elite, I made the choice to take things more lightly from a training point of view, and my love for gravity disciplines was born, training me as an FCI MTB instructor and guide. Now I have made passion my profession by managing 2 MTB centers on the island of Elba (Bike Center Elba and Elba MTB), creating the FANTAmtb and telling in an ironic but professional way everything that revolves around MTB thanks to 365mountainbike and 365TV (YouTube'PULITI dentro BIKER fuori').