2026 European Cyclocross Championships: favorites, schedule and how to watch live

The first major championship of the cyclocross season takes place this weekend, November 7 and 8, in Zeddam (Netherlands). Six European titles will be at stake on a circuit that recalls part of the history of the World Championship in 2006. Thibau Nys and Lucinda Brand are the main contenders in the elite races.

The 2026 European Cyclocross Championship arrives with a unique immense staircase in the modality

The 2026 European Cyclocross Championship brings together this weekend many of the best specialists on the continent. Zeddam returns to the international spotlight twenty years after hosting a World Championship and does so with a setting that promises demanding races, although the main attractions will be in the fight for the elite titles.

Belgium arrives with a particularly strong men's selection and several alternatives to win gold, while the Netherlands will try to take advantage of its host status. In the women's race, the Dutch again present the strongest block, but their international rivals have started the season with enough results to think that the podium does not have to be exclusively orange.

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Zeddam features a 2.97-kilometer course designed by former world champion Erwin Vervecken, precisely the winner of the absolute title in this same setting twenty years ago.

The main peculiarity will be a spectacular staircase of almost 100 steps unique and reconstructed for the occasion, which will force the riders to make a significant effort on foot each lap. Its 50 meters in length and 25 degrees of incline could become a decisive factor, especially during the second half of the races.

The course also includes fast prairie sections, elevation changes, and technical areas, although the forecast for dry weather points to a relatively fast circuit. The cold, with maximum temperatures close to 7 degrees, will be another element accompanying the participants.

Favorites for the 2026 European Cyclocross Championship: Nys against a Belgian selection full of alternatives

Thibau Nys arrives as the main favorite for the men's title. The Belgian champion began his cyclocross campaign with a resounding victory at the Koppenbergcross and will seek to reclaim the European crown he won in 2024. Last year he fell just short of gold, surpassed by Toon Aerts in a very tight finish.

However, the Belgian selection has enough options to win even without Nys. Michael Vanthourenhout, European champion in 2022 and 2023, has started the season with three victories and also candidates include Joran Wyseure, Niels Vandeputte, and Gerben Kuypers.

The main threat to Belgium may come from the host team. The Dutch Joris Nieuwenhuis has specially prepared for this championship, which takes place just 15 kilometers from his home, and Pim Ronhaar has also shown that he can fight for medals.

Among the contenders from other teams are British Cameron Mason and Spaniard Felipe Orts, ninth in the 2025 European Championship and one of the riders capable of getting close to the best when he finds his racing rhythm.

Lucinda Brand seeks to reclaim the title

Lucinda Brand is the main reference in the women's event. The current world champion has started the season with victories in Dendermonde, Ardooie, Overijse, and the Koppenbergcross. At 37 years old, she continues to show a level that makes her the main candidate for gold

The Netherlands will also count on Inge van der Heijden, the title defender, and Aniek van Alphen, who is standing out for her consistency. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Fem van Empel complete a Dutch block with several riders capable of winning.

The international opposition will be led by Luxembourg's Marie Schreiber, one of Brand's most consistent rivals, and Italy's Sara Casasola, second in the recent Koppenbergcross. The French Amandine Fouquenet and Hélène Clauzel also arrive with chances to contest the medals.

Schedule for the 2026 European Cyclocross Championship

The six races will be held between Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8. 

Where to watch the 2026 European Cyclocross Championship live

The two elite races can be followed through Eurosport 2 and HBO Max. Coverage will begin at 14:50, ten minutes before the scheduled starts at 15:00.

• Saturday, November 7: elite women's race, from 14:50.
• Sunday, November 8: elite men's race, from 14:50.

The European Championship will be the first opportunity of the season to measure many of the best specialists in a competition by national teams, with a circuit that may favor fast races, but where the accumulated fatigue from the obstacles could mark the differences in the fight for medals.