Belgian Cyclo-Cross Worlds: Medal Chances & Cant’s Successor

• The top favorite(s): “France, Italy in The Netherlands are the biggest contenders, because they have slightly stronger women. In this discipline, the major differences will not be made among the elites. Because Del Grosso (Ned) and Vandeputte (Bel), for example, will be close to each other, the difference between the junior women can easily be half a minute.”
• The Belgian opportunities: “Last year we finished 6th. But this time we can dream of a medal. We have a good team at the start with Niels Vandeputte and Julie Brouwers (elite), Kay De Bruyckere and Fleur Moors (promises) and Jari Van Lee and Zita Peeters (juniors).

• The top favorite(s): “Last year’s world champion, Lise Revol (From)dominated during the Christmas period. But in the past 2 weeks she was always beaten by the Italian in the World Cup Giorgia Pellizotti. She is the daughter of, yes, former rider Franco Pellizotti. Thanks to those two recent victories, the Italian has an advantage.”

• The Belgian opportunities: “It was at the Belgian Championships Zita Peeters top favorite, but due to a bad day she finished 3rd. Internationally, Zita is always in the large group behind the 2 top favorites. However, her last 2 rounds were a bit less, meaning she always finished between places 9 and 12 in the WB. If Zita finishes in the top 10 at the World Cup, I will be very satisfied.”

  “The surprising Belgian champion Read Geuens does not yet have much international experience. She is therefore not on the first rows of the starting line, which is certainly not an advantage on this World Cup course. Top 15 or maybe even top 12 would be a very nice achievement for Liese.”

• The top favorite(s): “The battle is very open in this category. But if anyone is a slightly separated favorite, then that is David Haverdings (Ned). He won 4 out of 6 World Cups, but not in a dominant way. Last weekend, Haverdings was beaten by his challenger in Hoogerheide Aubin Sparfel (From).”
• The Belgian opportunities: “We have a very strong block with 5 riders who dream of the podium: Yordi Corsus, Kay De Bruycker., Aaron Dockx, Mats Vanden Eynde and Belgian champion Viktor Vandenberghe.”

  “Arthur Van den Boer was perhaps our best Belgian promise before the Belgian Championship. But after the Belgian Championship he became ill, so he skipped Benidorm and was not yet 100% in Hoogerheide. It remains to be seen how he will perform on Saturday.”

  “Because it is so close together, this is perhaps the category in which we have the greatest chance of a world champion. But it is also possible that we end up 5th, 6th and 7th. No Belgian medal would be a disappointment.”

• The top favorite(s): “A few weeks ago everyone would have said that Lucinda Brand was the big favorite. But now I’m putting it there too Puck Pieterse besides, especially because it is a course with many intervals. Ceylin Alvarado is the 3rd dog, she is always good at championships.”
• The Belgian opportunities: “Marion Norbert Riberolle This season alternated between very good and inferior performances. They always came after a bad start. But at the World Cup, the women’s elite peloton is smaller (because the promises are not participating). Marion will never start super badly on Saturday. With a good day she can finish around 6, 7 or 8.”

  “Our second compatriot, Julie Brewersfinished 17th at the World Championships in Liévin last year. We aim for the top 12 with her this time.”

• The top favorite(s): “There are 4 riders who can become world champions on this course. Italy has 2 strong pawns Patrik Pezzo Rosola and European champion Filippo Grigolini.”

  “The amazing thing is that after a heavy fall in Diegem, Pezzo Rosola seemed to be out for the rest of the season. But he quickly returned, became Italian champion and won in a fairly impressive way in Benidorm. He is the biggest favorite for me.”

  “The French can then show off again Soren Bruyere. His results sometimes lie a bit, because he has often had something happen before. Bruyere fell in Koksijde and Benidorm and broke his wheel in Dendermonde. But he did win the dress rehearsal in Hoogerheide. Just keep an eye on him.”

• The Belgian opportunities: “The fourth man who can become world champion is our compatriot Yellow Lejeune. The course in Hulst suits him like a glove, because last season Giel won the World Cup Cross there as a first-year. Just behind Giel comes the Belgian champion Jari Van Lee. He has his sights set on the podium.”

• The top favorite: “Zoe Bäckstedt has been outstanding in this category for the past 2 years. Now she chooses to ride with the elites. But I wouldn’t have given her 3 stars anyway.”

  “Those 3 stars are for Célia Gery. The Frenchwoman has charmed among the elite riders in recent weeks with a 4th place in Benidorm. She also started off like a rocket in Hoogerheide, but after that she seriously set back.”

• The Belgian opportunities: “Just under Gery state Fleur Moors. She will compete for the medals with Leonie Bentveld (Ned) and Viktoria Chladonova (Svk). In the World Cup, Fleur was almost always on the podium among the promises. Unfortunately, that got snowed under because the promises in the WB ride together with the elites.”

  “It would be very nice if we were also on a World Cup podium with a woman, because that has already happened to Sanne Cant in Bogense 2019.”

• The top favorite: “We don’t have to waste many words about it. Mathieu van der Poel is a huge favorite.”

  “But we have to be ready in case Mathieu has a bad day. That would not be an easy situation either, because then you still have dangerous men like Del Grosso (Ned) and Nieuwenhuis (Ned). And Orts (Spa) would also dare to throw himself in between.”

  “But maybe Mathieu won’t have a bad day and we don’t wish him any bad luck. He also has so much experience that he remains very cool even in difficult circumstances.”

• The Belgian opportunities: “We can still keep dreaming and hoping. Then is our biggest contender for the world title Thibau Nys. Of the Belgians, he is the man who will perhaps be able to follow Van der Poel for the longest time. He has the best chance of winning a medal.”

  “But there are still a few Belgians who can dream of the podium. Niels Vandeputte was on the WB podium twice last weekend. European champion Toon Aerts came 5th in Hoogerheide and Michael Vanthourenhout is okay again after illness. And you can also do it on a good day Joran Wyseure being on stage.”

  “No Belgians on the World Cup podium? That chance exists, but we don’t assume that. I think that after Van der Poel we have the best assets.”

How much medal does national coach Angelo De Clercq want to leave Hulst with on Sunday evening?

“During my past 3 championships, we have won 4 medals each time. That is now the target again. If everything goes well, we can also win 5 or 6 medals.”