Cyclocross 2025-2026 – A comprehensive guide

There is a chill in the air, the smell of frites, the tang of spilled beer, the rustle of winter coats and the slosh of rubber boots in mud: Why are thousands of Belgians standing in the cold and rain? It's cyclocross season, of course!

Cyclocross is still as popular as ever around the world despite a challenge from the growing gravel racing scene, and it wouldn't be winter if we weren't tracking when Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel might be starting their off-road season.

Find out how to watch cyclocross during the 2025-2026 season with our comprehensive guide. Totally new to the sport? Find out more about what cyclocross is with our explainer.

Cyclocross racing got an early start in the United States and Great Britain, and the Superprestige, X2O Trofee and Exact Cross series are already underway in Belgium.

However, the season will heat up this weekend with the Pan-American Cyclocross Championships in Washington, DC, on Saturday, November 8, and the UEC Cyclocross European Championships in Middelkerke on Sunday.

The first World Cup round will not take place until the series opener in Tábor on November 23.

There are a total of 12 races in the UCI Cyclocross World Cup 2025-2026, one each week until the intense 'kerstperiode' around Christmas, which includes four World Cups in nine days, along with other races.

Cyclocross Riders to Watch

In past years, world champion Fem van Empel has been the most dominant rider in the women's fields. Van Empel won her 50th race at the Exact Cross in Heerderstrand, but now that she has decided to give herself more space to enjoy life outside of sport, there is room for other stars to emerge.

Lucinda Brand showed she is back to her best with back-to-back victories in the X2O Trofee last weekend in the Koppenbergcross and Rapencross.

Belgian champion Marion Norbert Riberolle won the first Superprestige race in Ruddervoorde, followed by Italian Sara Casasola winning in Overijse.

Across the pond, Maghalie Rochette has dominated the Trek USCX series, winning seven of the eight races so far. Lizzy Gunsalus has five wins to her name in the non-series races.

Keep an eye out for the return of Puck Pieterse, who will start her 'cross season in Namur on December 15, and the return of Shirin van Anrooij from iliac artery endofibrosis surgery. She will also likely begin in December.

The under-23 world champion Zoe Bäckstedt will miss the first part of her season after suffering a concussion in a training crash.

Aside from waiting for Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert to return to the mud, the men to watch include, Michael Vanthourenhout, who claimed back-to-back wins in the Superprestige to lead that series. Thibau Nys won the X2O Trofee opener, the Koppenbergcross, but was plagued by crashes and mechanicals the next day but has high aspirations for defending his European title. Dutchman Joris Nieuwenhuis, who won the Rapencross, is another rider with immense talent in the dirt.

In the States, Andrew Strohmeyer and Eric Brunner have traded blows in the Trek USCX series, each taking four wins.

In Great Britain, Thomas Mein has dominated the National Trophy series and won two of the four Hope Supercross races.

Belgians continue to hold the top spots in the UCI Rankings, with Vanthourenhout in the lead, followed by Toon Aerts, and Eli Iserbyt - although the Belgian has had multiple surgeries for a problem with his femoral artery and will not be in action until later in the season. Niels Vandeputte, Laurens Sweeck and Nys are also riders to watch.

Keep an eye on Spaniard Felipe Orts, winner of the Nacht van Woerden, Pim Ronhaar, Joran Wyseure and Tibor del Grosso.

Lars van der Haar will be retiring after a successful career at the end of the season, but will still be one to watch at the pointy end of the races.

Schedules

2025-2026 Pro Cyclocross Riders

• Valentin Remondet (Fra) Ardennes Cross Team Gecibat
• Louis Sparfel (Fra) Ardennes Cross Team Gecibat
• Louis Tanguy (Fra) Ardennes Cross Team Gecibat
• Amandine Vidon (Fra) Ardennes Cross Team Gecibat
• Nathan Bommenel (Fra) AS Bike Racing
• Romain Debord (Fra) AS Bike Racing
• Célia Gery (Fra) AS Bike Racing
• Corentin Lequet (Fra) AS Bike Racing
• David Menut (Fra) AS Bike Racing
• Amandine Muller (Fra) AS Bike Racing
• Jules Simon (Fra) AS Bike Racing
• Lucinda Brand (Ned) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Olivier Godfroid (Bel) Baloise Glowi Lions
• David Haverdings (Ned) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Michiel Hillen (Bel) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Dietmar Ledegen (Bel) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Daan Mariën (Bel) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Fleur Moors (Bel) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Pim Ronhaar (Ned) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Seppe van den Boer (Bel) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Lars van der Haar (Ned) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Maarten Verheyen (Bel) Baloise Glowi Lions
• Alžbeta Bačíková (Svk) Bruvo Dukla Bratislava
• Samuel Bršel (Svk) Bruvo Dukla Bratislava
• Dries Bruynseels (Svk) Bruvo Dukla Bratislava
• Greg Bruynseels (Svk) Bruvo Dukla Bratislava
• Ondrej Glajza (Svk) Bruvo Dukla Bratislava
• Huub Artz (Ned) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX
• Julie Brouwers (Bel) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX
• Gerben Kuypers (Bel) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX
• Keije Solen (Ned) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX
• Axel Van den Broek (Bel) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX
• Mia Aseltine (USA) Competitive Edge Racing
• Eric Brunner (USA) Competitive Edge Racing
• Henry Coote (USA) Competitive Edge Racing
• Ethan Delgrosso (USA) Competitive Edge Racing
• Regina Legge (USA) Competitive Edge Racing
• Anna Megale (USA) Competitive Edge Racing
• Cody Scott (Can) Competitive Edge Racing
• Katelyn Walcroft (Can) Competitive Edge Racing
• Dylan Zakrajsek (USA) Competitive Edge Racing
• Lauren Zoerner (USA) Competitive Edge Racing
• Manon Bakker (Ned) Crelan-Corendon
• Sara Casasola (Ita) Crelan-Corendon
• Aaron Dockx (Bel) Crelan-Corendon
• Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Crelan-Corendon
• Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Crelan-Corendon
• Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Crelan-Corendon
• Xaydee van Sinaey (Bel) Crelan-Corendon
• Toon Vandebosch (Bel) Crelan-Corendon
• Jorja Bond (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Keira Bond (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Ella Brenneman (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Owen Brenneman (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Nathan Cusack (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Miles Mattern (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Dillon McNeill (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Daxton Mock (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Katherine Sarkisov (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Andrew Strohmeyer (USA) CXD Trek Bikes
• Lotte Baele (Bel) De Ceuster-Bouwpunt
• Jinse Peeters (Bel) De Ceuster-Bouwpunt
• Laura Verdonschot (Bel) De Ceuster-Bouwpunt
• Brent Clé (Bel) Deschacht- Hens-FSP
• Maxime Croket (Bel) Deschacht- Hens-FSP
• Milan Paulus (Bel) Deschacht- Hens-FSP
• Sven Pijnenburg (Ned) Deschacht- Hens-FSP
• Jo Pirotte (Bel) Deschacht- Hens-FSP
• Seppe Stroeykens (Bel) Deschacht- Hens-FSP
• Onno Verheyen (Bel) Deschacht- Hens-FSP
• Aaron Vogels (Bel) Deschacht- Hens-FSP
• Filippo Agostinacchio (Ita) Fas Airport Services-Guerciotti
• Gioele Bertolini (Ita) Fas Airport Services-Guerciotti
• Nelia Kabetaj (Alb) Fas Airport Services-Guerciotti
• Mees Hendrikx (Ned) Heizomat Radteam p/b Herrmann
• Lars Sommer (Swi) Heizomat Radteam p/b Herrmann
• Felix Barker (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Grant Ferguson (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Robin Godden (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Lucas Max Greensill (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Ruby James (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Steven James (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Thomas Mein (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Victoria Peel (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Rebecca Preece (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Sam Watson (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• William Weatherill (GBr) Hope Factory Racing
• Cristian Calligaro (Ita) KTM Alchemist Powered by Brenta Brakes
• Nadja Heigl (Aut) KTM Alchemist Powered by Brenta Brakes
• Lorenzo Samparisi (Ita) KTM Alchemist Powered by Brenta Brakes
• Nicolas Samparisi (Ita) KTM Alchemist Powered by Brenta Brakes
• Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Nesta-MMR Cycling Team
• Lucia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Nesta-MMR Cycling Team
• Sofia Rodriguez Revert (Spa) Nesta-MMR Cycling Team
• Alain Suarez Fernandez (Spa) Nesta-MMR Cycling Team
• Kevin Suarez Fernandez (Spa) Nesta-MMR Cycling Team
• Kosuke Endo (Jpn) Olanda Base/Watersley
• Tetsuki Kaji (Jpn) Olanda Base/Watersley
• Yuta Okayama (Jpn) Olanda Base/Watersley
• Meadow Willems (Ned) Olanda Base/Watersley
• Leonie Bentveld (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Yordi Corsus (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Sil De Brauwere (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Kay De Bruyckere (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Kenay De Moyer (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Shanyl De Schoesitter (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Yorben Lauryssen (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Wies Nuyens (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Matti Van Speybroek (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Viktor Vandenberghe (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines
• Francesca Baroni (Ita) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT
• Febe De Smedt (Bel) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT
• Femke Gort (Ned) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT
• Adèle Hurteloup (Fra) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT
• Bloeme Kalis (Ned) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT
• Anna Kay (GBr) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT
• Loes Sels (Bel) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT
• Chloë Van den Eede (Bel) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT
• Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ned) Ridley Racing Team
• Felipe Orts Lloret (Spa) Ridley Racing Team
• Lore Sas (Bel) Ridley Racing Team
• Daan Soete (Bel) Ridley Racing Team
• Perrine Clauzel (Fra) Sebmotobikes CX Team
• Electa Gallezot (Fra) Sebmotobikes CX Team
• Raphaël Kockelmann (Lux) Sebmotobikes CX Team
• Lorenzo Marasco (Fra) Sebmotobikes CX Team
• Théo Thomas (Fra) Sebmotobikes CX Team
• Liv Wenzel (Lux) Sebmotobikes CX Team
• Cameron Mason (GBr) Seven Racing
• Aniek van Alphen (Ned) Seven Racing
• Annemarie Worst (Ned) Seven Racing
• Cyprien Gilles (Fra) Team Guevel Roadborn
• Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Team Guevel Roadborn
• Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Team Guevel Roadborn
• Nicolas Reculeau (Fra) Team Guevel Roadborn
• Tristan Verrier (Fra) Team Guevel Roadborn
• Sara Cueto Vega (Spa) Unicaja-Gijon
• Mario Junquera San Millan (Spa) Unicaja-Gijon
• Emilio Reinoso Sanchez (Spa) Unicaja-Gijon