The Netherlands dominates the mixed relay in the CX World Championship

The 2026 Cyclocross World Championship in Hulst opened over the weekend with the Team Relay event, featuring an intense script and constant position changes. Spain had real chances to fight for a Top 5 finish, but ultimately had to settle for a commendable seventh place, after a performance that improved as the race progressed, leaving very good sensations.

The Netherlands dominates the mixed relay and Spain finishes seventh in the CX World Championship

The gold went to the Netherlands, which dominated the event at home with authority and did not give any options in the final leg. Italy, which led much of the race, took the silver, and Belgium closed the podium after an intense final battle with Great Britain and France, resolved in the last lap.

The race unfolded with the Netherlands and Italy setting the pace from the first meters, confirming their status as favorites beforehand. The Dutch team opted for a very solid strategy, placing their most decisive riders at key moments and reserving Tibor del Grosso for the final lap, a decision that turned out to be crucial.

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Italy always stayed in contact with the gold, exchanging the lead at several intermediate stages and arriving at the last lap with real options, although unable to cut the necessary seconds from the leader. Behind, the battle for the podium was much more open.

Belgium, Great Britain, and France raced closely for much of the event, with constant position changes in the women's and U23 relays. Everything came down to the last lap, where Niels Vandeputte made a difference with a very consistent performance that allowed Belgium to secure the bronze, leaving Great Britain in fourth and France in fifth.

The Netherlands, with Del Grosso in the lead, did not give any options in the final stretch and crossed the finish line with authority to be crowned mixed relay world champions, while Italy confirmed the silver 16 seconds later and Belgium closed the podium 37 seconds behind.

The Spanish team did not have an easy start and soon fell out of the leading group. However, far from giving up, the team reacted with a great comeback in the final relays, led by junior Benjamín Noval and, especially, by Kevin Suárez.

Suárez, who has already announced that this was his last Cyclocross World Championship before closing his chapter in this discipline, delivered a solid and combative leg, allowing Spain to recover several positions and cross the finish line in seventh place, just outside the group that fought for the podium.

The result leaves a bittersweet taste: the Top 5 that seemed possible beforehand slips away, but the competitive capacity of the Spanish team and the good generational change is confirmed, with Noval as one of the standout names for the future.

Results of the 2026 CX World Championship Team Relay

1. Netherlands – 47:06
2. Italy – 47:22 (+16)
3. Belgium – 47:43 (+37)
4. Great Britain – 47:47 (+41)
5. France – 47:53 (+47)
6. Czech Republic – 48:59 (+1:53)
7. Spain – 48:59 (+1:53)
8. Canada – 49:53 (+2:47)
9. Slovakia – 50:01 (+2:55)
10. Luxembourg – 50:24 (+3:18)
11. United States – 51:04 (+3:58)
12. Japan – 51:23 (+4:17)
13. Denmark – 51:36 (+4:30)

The 2026 CX World Championship continues tomorrow with the elite women's event as the main attraction, you can check the complete schedule here.