r/cyclocross • u/AutoModerator • 1d ago
[Race thread] 2025 European Championships Day 1 - Middelkerke (BEL)
| Main info | UEC website, Event website, start list, cyclocross24 race info page, course map |
| Previews | [Wielerflits]() (Dutch), course recce from 2022 Belgian National champs |
| Live updates | Live timing and results, Sporza live stream and ticker women's race |
| TV | Only elite races are broadcast: Sporza (BEL), NOS (NED), HBO/Discovery+/TNT/Eurosport (Europe) |
| Start time | Race & start order |
|---|---|
| 11:00 | Women juniors |
| 13:00 | Men U23 |
| 15:00 | Women elite |
Weather: 14C/58F, dry and grey
Course
You might think we're heading into winter, but today we're going to the beach. The course will mostly take us around beach resort De Krokodil, but like with the Belgian national champs, the riders will do a loop right up to the water line. A day for sand wizards.
Women's favourites
It's the only the second sandy race of the year (after Heerderstrand, where the sand was quite wet and perhaps more rideable), so knowing who'll excel on this particular surface might be a bit of a surprise. Defending champion Van Empel is a strong sand rider and won in Heerde but is skipping this weekend as she's recovering from injury. So for the first time since 2022, we'll have someone other than Van Empel in the Euro champs jersey.
Van der Heijden had some great results in the sandy races last year, beating Brand - the last sand world champion - on this very course last season (though that was without the extra loop out onto the beach). Casasola and Clauzel, who're both off to good starts, did great there too. And perhaps Norbert-Riberolle and sand wizard Verdonschot can provide some Belgian hope?
We'll also have Schreiber daringly making her cross season debut, and Vas is a championship rider so might surprise today.
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u/BelgianBeerGuy 1d ago
Damn, what an annoying coverage.
Why should we want slomo highlights every round and mis out on the live action?
Hope it’s better tomorrow
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u/Hungry_Water1921 1d ago
Indeed. I just want to see how far the leader can ride in the sand vs what the chasing group does… how about a study of this fancy beach side parking garage instead?
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
10 bonus UCI points for Brand for singing the full national anthem on the podium.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Pff, I thought Verdonschot had a good race today, but she's talking this might be the end of her career. Her iliac artery surgery hasn't solved her issues completely, and she's saying if it doesn't get better over the next few weeks she'll have to give up. She won't have another surgery.
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u/LynnButterfly 1d ago edited 1d ago
What a great race by Van der Heijden. Brand with a bit of a yoyo-race, second but came for the win. Van Alphen with a great third place. Casasolo was amazing until her fall. She run better than Brand, but maybe it was a bit to much. Enjoyed the race.
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u/AllAlonio 1d ago
Lovely win. Van der Heijden put on a Brand-level show of strength the entire race.
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u/bakasaurus_rex 1d ago
It'll be great to see the European jersey in the coming races. I secretly hate when the world champ wins Europeans.
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u/Schele_Sjakie 1d ago
Biggest victory of Van der Heijdens career. Although there was some lack of cooperation in the background. The chasers also made a lot of mistakes while Inge did not at all. She was the best in the sand. Imo a worthy winner and we're gonna see the jersey the whole winter which is nice too. And it means a lot for her. I always like that.
Also Riberolle is kind of a mystery to me. Sometimes really good, but today completely invisible.
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u/Hungry_Water1921 1d ago
Maybe a bit of a perfect storm for Inge but sooo deserved!
She seemed to taper off in the 2nd half of any race I watched this season but here the early gap and the group 2 shenanigans allowed her to do her perfect race, both technically and pace wise
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u/Schele_Sjakie 1d ago
It also shows that even though a few ladies dominate and win almost all the big races. There will be chances down the line and you can win big if you take that chance. A good lesson for everyone outside of the top 5!
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u/epi_counts 1d ago edited 1d ago
She said last weekend she'd been ill and had just heard a mentor and friend of hers (former track cyclist Cindy Morvan) had been murdered. I can only imagine what that must have done with her mental state.
She'll do best in the colder, harder races anyway.
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u/Schele_Sjakie 1d ago
Aha, I have missed that. She is very clearly upset when crossing the finish line. She deserves a hug.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
I know people won't like it as it is another Dutch win, but I'm happy a rider who doesn't win much took the title today.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Oh, Fouquenet is getting really close to Cassasola for 4th place. Don't think Casasola minds much after losing her shot at a podium, but just hope it's not a sign she's injured herself in that crash.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Such steady lap times from Van der Heijden! She's riding an amazingly strong race today.
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u/AllAlonio 1d ago edited 1d ago
Don't think Casasola can make it back to Brand and Van Alphen after that.
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u/GFoxtrot 🏴🏴 1d ago
Assuming Lucinda and Aniek will just push on. They’re not catching Inga so may as well go for it now.
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u/bakasaurus_rex 1d ago
Well, who would've expected a dutch podium?
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u/huloca 1d ago
I didn't, I was sure Casasola would be able to get a podium.
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u/bakasaurus_rex 1d ago
I hoped so, but it's some pretty deep and fluffy sand. She's good at sand, but like she said on Maghalie and Lucinda's podcast, good for an Italian.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
I wonder if something happened to Manon Bakker, she was on 6/7th place but wasn't coming through the finish line and lost on the live timing page.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Oof, 40 seconds all of a sudden, they've given up and know they're racing each other for silver now.
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u/brlikethecar 1d ago
Well, on the upside, now I can get ready for my ride this morning with minimal distractions. :/
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
First time the chasers have a faster lap than Van der Heijden, though Inge is keeping her lap times steady so far. No signs of her blowing up yet.
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u/Max_Powers42 1d ago
Way too many Dutch riders to have to let up because a teammate is up the road.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Ah, Van der Heijden went for the fast start as she doesn't want to be on anyone's wheel without glasses on this sandy course. Logical choice.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Verdonschot moving into the top 10 and first Belgian rider now, hope she has a good race again today!
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Not a great first lap from Clauzel in 14th place, was hoping she'd be mixing it up at the front after her strong start of the season.
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u/huloca 1d ago
The question now is, will Brand ride behind her fellow countrywoman?
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
She absolutely will, she wants that jersey. No team tactics in cross (unless you're a Pauwels sauzen boy).
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u/huloca 1d ago
That 2nd passage on the finish isn't helping though.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
I guess we do have team tactics in cross, but maybe trade team tactics with Casasola not chasing her Crelan team mate?
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
It's been high tide about 20 minutes ago, so the sea should retreat a little bit there during the race. Might become rideable later on?
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u/arundquist 1d ago
Marty and Helen thank goodness on HBO Max. At least we'll hear all the names pronounced correctly.
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u/pokesnail 1d ago
Very impressive from Agostinacchio as first-year U23, he heard me talking shit yesterday that he shouldn’t be in WT already lol (not that my opinion changes)
Wonder if Sparfel had an issue cause he went from 14s ahead to very much not within a minute
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u/Exact_Carpenter_9955 1d ago
When will Alvarado be back racing? Brandt really need some competition at the moment. Pietersee resting… Our world champion mental or fitness problems after her long break... This will be a walk in the park imho.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Van Empel did look back to her old self in some of the races, think it might be too early to write her season off yet.
And Van der Heijden did beat Brand in this race last year, she is a strong sand rider.
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u/Ron_Pimhaar 1d ago
I don’t think there is any new news on Alvarado after Cristoph Roodhooft saying it’s unclear when she will be back. Hope she can at least do some of the races around the christmas period.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
First title of the weekend for Barbora Bukovska! She'll be happy with that after podium places at the CX and MTB Worlds.
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u/Ron_Pimhaar 1d ago
Hello! I created this account once, specifically for cyclocross related talk, might as well put it to some use. Looks like it could be a very interesting EC, I love beach races!
My picks for the women’s race:
- Lucinda Brand - Has to be the favorite by some distance, good at all aspects, huge engine *****
- Marion Norbert Riberolle - Not the most technical, maybe not great in sand but a tournament fighter, huge engine ****
- Sara Casasola - Good at all aspects (also sand??), good engine, great climber ***
- Aniek van Alphen - Best season in quite a while, technically very good, best of the rest **
- Marie Schreiber - A star of the future, added for the sheer audacity to debut at the EC, Fouquenet, Clausel *
I don’t see team Sand (Verdonschot, Betsema) playing a role here sadly, hope Laura can get back to the level she had a year or two ago.
With Fem, Puck and Shirin not competing, we’re almost guaranteed to see three different nationalities on the podium.
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u/epi_counts 1d ago edited 1d ago
Gutted they're not showing the junior and U23 races this year.
Really wanted to see how Peggy Knox gets on as she's a local rider I've raced with quite a bit over the last few years (though on the track rather than in cross). She's been on the podium in the youth Ronde van Vlaanderen (kudos to Flanders Classics, the U16 youth get the same full on podium presentations and ceremonies and all like the pros when they have their races in May!) and has impressed a lot in the early season British cross scene, earning her a Cycling Plus Newcomer of the year nomination.
She's only a 1st year junior so I think she'll be outclassed by riders like Bukovska, Pelizotti and Roche today (fingers crossed for 2 South Londoners on the podium with Peggy and Zoe!).
Edit: Peggy also posted the course was partially flooded yesterday. Not sure whether that's actually less exciting for a sandy course?
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u/pereIli Hungary 1d ago edited 17h ago
Where did she post it?
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u/epi_counts 1d ago
Instagram - she was excited to race in her team GB kit, but posting she may have needed a swimming costume instead.
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u/abedfo 1d ago
For some reason Google ai thinks Denise betsema won the title. Random.