Favourites, times and how to watch the CX World Cup in Hoogerheide, the last race before the World Championships

For the first time in many years, Mathieu Van der Poel will miss the race that was named after his father: the CX World Cup in Hoogerheide, also known as the Adrie Van der Poel Grand Prix, in his native Netherlands. And although the overall classification is already mathematically decided, none of this makes the race any less interesting. Because it will be the perfect opportunity to see how Tom Pidcock, Eli Iserbyt and the rest of the medal contenders are doing ahead of the World Championships in Fayetteville, which takes place just a week later. Below you can find the times and where you can watch it.

How the World Cup comes to Hoogerheide

The truth is that little remains to be decided in this World Cup, given that Belgian Eli Iserbyt won the overall in Hulst last 2 January, with two races to go. It is true that Michael Vanthourenhout and Toon Aerts are still competing for second place, but it is a minor objective, of course.

Without Wout Van Aert and Van der Poel on the start line, all eyes will be on Tom Pidcock. After winning 3 of the 10 races he has participated in this CX season, and finishing second on four other occasions, the British rider has the World Cup between his eyes. If he dominates this Sunday, he will be the favourite in Arkansas.

It remains to be seen, however, if he can beat Iserbyt, as he did in Rucphen and Hulst. A step below are other riders, although they have their chances: Aerts and Vanthourenhout themselves, Quinten Hermans or the Dutchman Lars Van der Haar, who races at home and already won here in 2017 (as well as this year in Tábor). Alicante's Felipe Orts arrives after sweeping the Spanish championship and then performing discreetly in Flamanville, with a nineteenth place. His performance in the Netherlands will also give us an indication of what he can aspire to in the World Championship.

What happened at the last World Cup in Hoogerheide?

Last year, the pandemic forced the cancellation of most of the Cyclo-cross World Cup events (only 5 were held), and one of those affected was precisely Hoogerheide. So we have to go back to 2020 to find the last winner on this Dutch circuit. And, of course, the winner was the 'home man', Mathieu Van der Poel (as he had been the previous two years).

In another of his classic exhibitions, the Dutch prodigy went completely solo with 4 laps to go, and his rivals never saw him again until the finish line. Second came Toon Aerts, who won the 2019-2020 World Cup, and Eli Iserbyt completed the podium.

Tom Pidcock and Van Aert were also there, although they could only finish 7th and 8th, respectively. Now, with the first (and eighth) classified eliminated from the equation, it is the others who aspire to succeed him in the Dutch race.

Timetables for the men's and women's events

Sunday will start at 13.40 with the women's race, in which the favourites are, of course, the Dutch: Lucinda Brand (who is already mathematically World Cup champion), Marianne Vos, Denise Betsema and the very young Puck Pieterse and Fem Van Empel, who were first and second in Flamanville last weekend in the absence of the rest.

The Hungarian all-rounder Kata Blanka Vas could also be the surprise contender. The men's race will follow at 15:05. Both events will last about an hour, so we should have the winner by 16:00.

How to watch it

Both the men's and women's races can be seen live through Eurosport Player and the subscription channel GCN+. In addition, it can be followed on the official UCI website, by clicking on this link.