Flamanville CX World Cup 2023: favorites, schedules and how to watch

The CX World Cup moves to the Norman Flamanville for the sixth race of the season. The forecasts point to another close duel between the favorites in the return of Van der Haar. In the women's category, without Van Empel and Pieterse, other riders such as Brand and Alvarado will assume the role of favorites.

Where and when to watch the Flamanville CX World Cup 2023

The Flamanville CX World Cup will be held next Sunday, December 3, a week before the French town hosts the fifth and sixth rounds of the Coupe de France. The broadcasts can be followed on Eurosport, GCN -which will close in mid-December- or Discovery+.

Schedules of the Flamanville CX World Cup

• 13:45 Elite Women
• 15:10 Elite Men

How is the CX World Cup coming to Flamanville?

The CX World Cup is approaching the halfway point of the calendar, as the visits to Flamanville and Val di Sole are the only races left to complete the first half of the season. The top mud competition will be back on French soil after also being in Troyes.

In addition, rain will wet the Norman town of Flamanville throughout the week, as well as some water is expected on Sunday.

Ronhaar beat Sweeck in the battle of Dublin to become the first rider to repeat victory this season. Even so, the candidates for the victory are still equal, as is evident in a tight overall classification in the top positions of the table.

With the season already advanced, the main names of the specialty are in tune. Iserbyt, Ronhaar, Van der Haar, Sweeck, Nys and Kamp maintain a regularity that allows them to take the best positions race after race. The positive news is Sweeck, who is back to his best in time.

Van der Haar, one of the riders who had made the best start of the year, returns after being absent in Dublin.

The women's category will again suffer the absence of its main riders. Van Empel has once again opted to take part in the Superprestige event - which will take place on Saturday in Boom - to the detriment of the CX World Cup. Meanwhile, Pieterse, the other big attraction of the discipline, will not be in Flamanville either.

Alvarado has been the most solid rider of the season, as she has completed all her commitments without getting off the podium: two wins, two second places and a third place. Brand was at her best in Dublin and has a good chance of repeating her leading role in this next performance.

Sweeck's eagerness against Iserbyt, Ronhaar, Van der Haar and Nys

The CX World Cup will live a new fight in Flamanville. The victory in the Normandy locality will be expensive and the equality between the favorites complicates the predictions. The mud peloton has one of the last cartridges before Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pidcock appear on the scene.

Laurens Sweeck is looking forward to his first win of the season. An early injury upset his plans and it has taken him several races to show some muscle again. In Dublin he almost raised his arms and in Flamanville he will try to reach the top step of the podium.

Eli Iserbyt is one of the great mud specialists and one of those who opt to win wherever they go. The Belgian started below expectations and has been recovering his best version. The victory in Troyes took the pressure off him and he will be one of the hardest men to beat in Flamanville, where he won last year.

The forecasts should also point to Ronhaar and Nys. Despite being promises that did not go unnoticed by anyone, they have emerged this season as real contenders for the throne. Ronhaar accumulates two victories -Dendermonde and Dublin- and, although he has also had discreet results -Maasmechelen and Troyes-, he will be a strong rival to be taken into account.

For his part, Nys seems to have lost some of the initial steam with which he started the season. Even so, he retains a certain regularity and although he missed Dendermonde, he still occupies a good position in the overall.

Van der Haar's comeback once again makes the Dutchman the clear favorite for success. The rider who has already tasted victory in Maasmechelen and will be one of the rivals to beat in France.

Other riders like Kamp, Vandeputte, Vandebosch or Nieuwenhuis could be in the fight for the victory.

Alvarado and Brand look to expand their dominance ahead of Van Anrooij's arrival

The Flamanville CX World Cup crown will be more accessible with the notable absences of Van Empel and Pieterse. Still, the two favorites are recurring absentees at this stage of the season, so other riders have taken the top positions in the standings.

Alvarado has had a near-perfect season in which she has been on the podium in all five CX World Cup races to date. Logic suggests that she will once again play a major role in the race, where she will be looking to increase her lead in the overall standings.

Brand is at her best after showing great strength in Dublin and will be looking to raise her arms again. The other favorite is Van Anrooij, who returns after dropping out in Waterloo in mid-October. The lack of competition may take its toll on her, although the Goes rider could be a serious candidate for victory.

In addition, Backsted will also be absent and Van der Heijden, Worst, Bakker and Betsema could be in the fight.