The 2025 Cyclo-cross World Cup concluded this Sunday in Hoogerheide, wrapping up the overall standings and confirming the largely stable competitive hierarchies.
The big news dropped on Saturday evening, following the Maasmechelen round and a men’s race dominated by Mathieu Van der Poel: his great rival, Wout Van Aert, will ultimately participate in the World Championships in Liévin.
This final World Cup weekend, during which two elite rounds were contested—from Maasmechelen to Hoogerheide (youth categories only raced once, on Sunday)—delivered more than just its results. Beyond crowning the overall winners, it ended with this stunning, unexpected announcement: Wout Van Aert will be at Liévin.
Of Mud and Fury
The stakes for the UCI Elite Men’s World Championships have been reignited. Although Wout Van Aert may still have some technical adjustments to make, the Belgian appears to be in excellent form. On such a physically demanding course as the Val Souchez in Liévin, he seems to be the only one capable of countering Mathieu Van der Poel’s overwhelming power. The much-anticipated clash of the titans is on: Belgium vs. the Netherlands, the triple vs. the six-time world champion!
However, as is especially true in cyclo-cross, it’s risky to claim victory before the race is run. The pure specialists—including the overall winner of the 2025 World Cup, Michael Vanthourenhout, along with Lars van der Haar, Toon Aerts, Joran Wyseure, Eli Iserbyt, and Emiel Verstrynge—could still exploit a weakness. The event promises to be thrilling—full of mud and fury!
Van der Poel in masterclass mode, Brand and Vas in a tight battle
On Saturday, in Maasmechelen (Belgium), Mathieu Van der Poel defeated his eternal rival in their first showdown of the year. On a particularly tricky course, the Dutchman delivered a flawless performance with stunning precision, while the Belgian made costly mistakes, suffering three crashes. But Wout Van Aert clearly didn’t see these minor technical errors as disqualifying, as he decided that same evening—after yet another second-place finish behind his favorite opponent—to compete in Liévin.
The following day in Hoogerheide, Van Aert was absent. On the course where he claimed the world title in 2023, the flying Dutchman delivered another masterful performance, crossing the line more than 1 minute and 30 seconds ahead of the valiant Michael Vanthourenhout.
For the women, the elite races were even more exciting. While the same handful of five or six riders dominates, the finishing order remains unpredictable. This weekend highlighted the peak form of Hungary’s Kata Blanka Vas, who won on Saturday and finished second on Sunday behind the ever-consistent Lucinda Brand, who secured the overall victory. Yet, neither Vas nor Brand has a stranglehold on the competition. Defending champion Fem Van Empel, while less dominant than last year, remains formidable, as do Pieterse, Backstedt, and even Alvarado.
One week away from a home-turf World Championship, the French riders also delivered strong performances: Amandine Fouquenet and Hélène Clauzel finished ninth and eleventh, respectively, in Hoogerheide.
Juniors and U23 : A Wide-Open Competition
On Sunday, the junior and U23 categories (U19 and U23) also contested their final World Cup round (their sixth).
In the men’s U23 race, Tibor Del Grosso once again triumphed. Nicknamed “the young Van der Poel,” he’s been head and shoulders above the competition in recent weeks. France’s Aubin Sparfel claimed second place, proving he will be a contender in Liévin.
For the women’s U23, their World Cup races are combined with the elite category. Britain’s Zoé Backstedt, who finished sixth overall on Sunday, continues to dominate her division. However, while undeniably strong, she is not invincible. The likes of Marie Schreiber, Célia Géry, Isabelle Holmgren, Leonie Bentveld, and Viktoria Chladonova are eager to seize any opportunity.
In the juniors, Czech rider Barbora Bukovská won ahead of the Netherlands’ Mae Cabaca and Canada’s Rafaelle Carrier, who secured the overall 2025 World Cup title. In the junior men’s race, Germany’s Benedikt Benz pulled off a surprise victory, beating Belgium’s Mats Vanden Eynde and Italy’s Patrik Pezzo Rosola. France’s Soren Bruyère-Joumard claimed the overall title.
