World Cup CX Sardinia 2024: schedules, favorites, how to watch

The action of the CX World Cup, with the dispute of the 3rd race of the 2024/25 edition, moves to the beautiful Italian island of Sardinia next Sunday, December 8th, a unique setting in this competition which, contrary to the UCI's intention to expand this modality to countries with less tradition, the reality is that it will be a race with many absences on the starting grid.

Schedules and how to watch the CX World Cup in Sardinia

A completely new race is taking place on the Italian island, specifically in the town of Cabras, in the west of the island next to one of the paradisiacal beaches for which Sardinia is famous. When we say new, we are not only referring to its inclusion in the CX World Cup but also to the fact that cyclocross was a completely new modality on the island, with this competition being created specifically for the dispute of this World Cup race.

The competition returns to its usual schedules after the passage through Ireland and its one hour difference from Central European time. This means that the races that make up the competition will take place at the following times on Sunday, December 8th:

• 13:40 - Women's Elite race
• 15:10 - Men's Elite race

RECOMENDADO

We tested the Classified Powershift on the 3T Strada

Evenepoel begins his recovery

Crispy Rice with Marshmallows Bars, the recipe that triumphs in the peloton

Campagnolo returns to the WorldTour with the Cofidis team

Tom Pidcock leaves INEOS

New Wahoo Elemnt Ace with 3.8" screen and wind sensor

As throughout the entire 2024 CX World Cup, although the broadcast falls on the Eurosport channel, it can only be followed through the Max platform so, if you are not subscribers to it, you will have to settle for the race summary that the UCI usually publishes the day after on their YouTube channel, a channel where you can also follow the live broadcast in countries that do not have a broadcasting rights channel.

Many absences among the favorites in the CX World Cup in Sardinia

Being a completely new race, in a destination with more complicated logistics for cyclists and teams; and in the lead-up to the avalanche of Christmas races, several have chosen not to attend the CX World Cup race in Sardinia.

In the men's category, the most notable of the absentees is Thibau Nys who has not started the World Cup well after finishing far from the top in Antwerp and having to retire in Dublin after a nasty fall. However, these are not the reasons for his absence in Sardinia but rather the coincidence of the race with the first concentration of his road team, Lidl-Trek. He will also not be participating. On the other hand, Niels Vandeputte returns, who finally did not attend Dublin to concentrate with Alpecin-Deceuninck.

Those who are not missing are the top men in the overall classification who will try to continue scoring points before any of the three monsters decide to make an appearance even though Van der Poel, Van Aert, and Pidcock have not shown signs of debuting in the current cyclocross season.

Both Eli Iserbyt and Michael Van Thourenhout have shown themselves to be the most solid cyclists in the first two races, and in fact, they are the ones occupying the highest positions in the general classification. However, as we have also seen in the initial races, there are many who currently have a sufficient level to be able to win in Sardinia.

Among them, it is inevitable to mention Felipe Orts who in Dublin achieved his best classification ever in a CX World Cup race and gives the impression of continuing to grow and having an increasing dominance of the race pace and knowing how to read the different situations. In Dublin, he was able to suffer and achieve the podium when practically everyone had ruled him out for the top positions.

The Belgian Toon Aerts has shown himself to be another great sufferer and race dynamiter, so he must be taken into account for the victory. Against him is the expenditure of energy he made in the previous race, closing all the gaps, which may have limited him at the decisive moment when he could not close the gap that gave Vanthourenhout the victory.

Laurens Sweeck is another one to always consider, especially after his huge month of November even though he could not find the key in Dublin to a race where he was chasing the leading group all day without being able to catch them. In any case, if he fails again, Corendon-Crelan has shown that it has another good card in the form of Joran Wyseure, another one who starred in the Irish race.

As for the women, it is surprising the absence of one of the main favorites such as Fem van Empel, concentrated with Visma-Lease a Bike for the road season. This leaves the race very favorable for Lucinda Brand to repeat the victory in Dublin and begin to distance herself in the general classification. Especially because riders who could overshadow her like Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado or Zoe Backstedt are also not on the start list.