For the third year, the circus that can be called the Cyclo-Cross World Cup descends on Benidorm. On the Costa Blanca they are very happy with the already semi-traditional arrival of the best crossers in the world, who also bring with them a lot of fans from the Low Countries. In the Leader’s jersey also looks ahead for the third time!
In Benidorm people want to get rid of the old-fashioned image, which is partly thanks to Benidorm Bastards always has in the Low Countries. By organizing sporting events, a step in the right direction is logically already being taken, and it is also ideal for the riders themselves: most of them are already somewhere in Spain at this time of year to put the finishing touches to their work. to the World Cup preparation through good endurance training.
Speaking of World Cups: on the Costa Blanca they would love to host the 2029 edition of cyclo-cross, after the first two World Cup crosses in Benidorm turned out to be a huge success. Whether it was the reconnaissance on Saturday or one of the many matches on Sunday, it was always there full house. The fact that they also had great winners after equally exciting matches with Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel will certainly have contributed to this.
Latest cyclo-cross World Cup winners Benidorm
2024 Wout van Aert / Fem van Empel
2023 Mathieu van der Poel / Fem van Empel
Course, weather and times Cyclocross World Cup Benidorm 2025
We are on the Spanish coast, but we are not going to see a sand cross – despite a small sand pit – in Benidorm. Parque El Moralet and Parque Foietes, that is where the spectacle takes place for the third season. A technical cross, which Puck Pieterse and Shirin van Anrooij labeled as a ‘kind of street race’ during the first edition. Fast, quite a bit of asphalt and yet also technical. And be careful of falls, two weeks before the World Cup.
Some adjustments have been made compared to last year, but the core of the cyclo-cross remains the same. There is still a long, dirty stretch of asphalt uphill towards the Parque El Moralet, there is still the fast descent through the gravel back to the Foietes city park and the more technical zones can also be found – with the exception of some mini changes – in the same strips. find. The biggest change is that the riders ride a little further up into the El Moralet park, and then logically dive into the slightly longer descent.
Weather
It is a good time to spend time on the Costa Blanca. On Sunday it is 14 degrees Celsius, the sun is shining and there is a light breeze on the face.
Times (Sunday January 19, 2024)
Start women: 1.40 pm
Women’s finish: 2:30 p.m
Start men: 3.10 pm
Men’s finish: 4:10 p.m
Favorites Women’s Cyclocross World Cup Benidorm 2025
All, but really all, ladies of renown will participate in the Cyclo-Cross World Cup in Benidorm. And that is practically the first time this winter, although that is mainly because Marianne Vos only her third ride of the winter here. Vos is not a top favorite, but that applies to her Visma | Lease a Bike teammate Fem van Empel. The fellow Brabant has already won both editions in Benidorm so far.
Behind this are the names she has been competing against all winter. Lucinda Brand van Baloise Glowi Lions has a firm grip on the lead in the World Cup and returns to competition after a week of well-deserved rest, while Fenix-Deceuninck representative Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado always knows how to compete for the podium.
-SD Worx-Protime also has two options: Marie Schreiber in Blanka Vaswho, with their qualities on the road, should also be able to handle the Spanish gravel well. This also applies to top British talent Zoe Backstedt from Canyon//SRAM, who sees compatriot Cat Ferguson make her World Cup return after a nasty fall in Hulst.
Belgian champion Marion Norbert-Riberolle finds a course that does not really suit her on behalf of Crelan-Corendon. Other options for a nice place of honor are Manon Bakker, Inge van der Heijden, Sanne Cant (Crelan-Corendon), Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing), Leonie Bentveld and Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel), while the young Slovakian Viktoria Chladonova will make its debut on behalf of Visma | Lease a Bike.
Top favorite: Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Outsiders: Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions)
Long shots: Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck), Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike), Marie Schreiber and Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime)
Favorites Men’s Cyclocross World Cup Benidorm 2025
Last year they could rejoice in Benidorm with the Big Three, this season remains single Wout van Aert from Visma | Lease a Bike over. The Belgian is staying with his team in nearby La Nucia and from there it was a logical option to add the cross in Benidorm, his penultimate of this winter. Mathieu van der Poel is currently working hard on his base for the Cyclo-Cross World Championships and the spring and will not participate.
Are there any? The Belgian champion Thibau Nys from Baloise Glowi Lions of course, although for him it also falls in the middle of an internship with the Lidl-Trek road team in Denia. The Dutch champion Tibor Del Grosso is also there, but he will start with the promises at 12 noon. Numbers two and three of the National Championships, Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Glowi Lions) and Joris Nieuwenhuis from Ridley, will participate in the elite at 3:10 p.m.
This of course also applies to the men at the top of the World Cup rankings. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel), Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-FSP) and Joran Wyseure from Crelan-Corendon currently occupy the first three spots there and will want to further defend those positions in Benidorm.
Also That is, Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel), Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Emiel Verstruynge and Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) participate as permanent Belgian values, just like the Dutchman Lars van der Haar in the Baloise Glowi Lions shirt. He sees this cyclocross more as a training, he said after the National Championships. For whom that will certainly not be the case, is Felipe Orts. The Ridley man rides his home cross on the Costa Blanca and would love to take the podium one day.
Top favorite: Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Outsiders: Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions) and Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ridley)
Long shots: Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Glowi Lions), Michael Vanthourenhout, Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel) and Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-FSP)
TV Cyclocross World Cup Benidorm 2025
Eurosport will broadcast the cross live on Eurosport 1, Eurosport.nl and Discovery+ from 1:30 PM. The NOS will broadcast the World Cup via a live stream on nos.nl and may also pay attention to the cyclo-cross in its afternoon broadcast on NPO1.
