Many of the biggest stars in cyclocross will be back in action at the fourth round of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup held in Namur on Sunday, including Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck).
The Dutch rider has yet to compete during the 2025-26 season, having last raced in the discipline at the UCI World Championships in Liévin, where she secured the bronze medal behind compatriots Fem van Empel and Lucinda Brand.
The Dutch team will field 13 elite women and 11 elite men, including reigning World Champion Mathieu van der Poel, who is also making his season debut in Namur.
National team coach Gerben de Knegt noted that the women's field would be missing some key players, including Shinin van Anrooij, who made a strong comeback in the first three rounds after a turbulent few years, whereby a rib injury ended her season early in 2023, and she missed last 'cross campaign to undergo iliac artery endofibrosis surgery.
Van Anrooij has opted to focus on training for a while and will rejoin the squad later, the Dutch team confirmed in a press release on its official website. World Champion Van Empel has not yet started her World Cup campaign due to an ongoing illness.
Pieterse is only just beginning her cyclocross season and is expected to put forth a strong performance, but De Knegt said it is also a good opportunity for other Dutch riders to shine in Namur.
"There are a few withdrawals from the women's World Cup," De Knegt said. "It's a shame on the one hand, but it also means other riders will get a chance to race a World Cup this weekend."
Joining Pieterse in the elite women's race will be Lucinda Brand, Inge van der Heijden, Manon Bakker, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Aniek van Alphen, Leonie Bentveld, Denise Betsema, Annemarie Worst, Larissa Hartog, Lauren Molengraaf, Pem Hoefmans and Aniek Mos.
Van Alphen is currently leading the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup rankings after placing fifth in Tabor, winning the second round in Flamanville and placing second in Terralba. Although Brand has won the opening round in Tábor and the third round in Terralba, she opted out of the second round and is currently second overall in the rankings.
