Champions set for the Cyclocross World Cup on Val di Sole’s snow

Tomorrow, the spectacle of the Cyclocross World Cup begins with the first free practice session on the snowy plains of San Leonardo Lakes in Vermiglio, Trento.

Belgians Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout stand out as favorites among men, Pieterse will be looking for a repeat win in the women’s race. The event will be broadcast worldwide, tickets can be purchased online at www.valdisolebikeland.com

With the free practice session scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, December 9, Val di Sole is ready to once again host the world's cyclocross stars, who will compete on Sunday, December 10, in the UCI Cyclocross World Cup calendar's only Italian stage. The San Leonardo Lakes in Vermiglio (Trentino), nestled at the base of the Tonale Pass, are perfectly prepared for the World's only cyclocross race on a snow-covered course, following recent snowfalls. It will be the third time for this spectacular and distinctive event, the result of the vision of the organizers of Grandi Eventi Val di Sole and the Val di Sole Tourism Board, in collaboration with the Pontedilegno-Tonale Consortium, and Flanders Classics, the organizer of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup.

BELGIANS AND DUTCH AS FRONTRUNNERS Belgium and the Netherlands have dominated the Cyclocross World Cup in Val di Sole in the first two editions, with victories alternating between Wout Van Aert and Fem Van Empel in 2021, and Michael Vanthourenhout and Puck Pieterse in 2022. The men's race sees a strong Belgian contingent led by Team Pauwels-Bingoal's World Cup leader Eli Iserbyt and European champion Michael Vanthourenhout, along with World Cup holder Laurens Sweeck from Crelan-Corendon. They must watch out for Dutch Joris Nieuwenhuis of Team Baloise-Trek, Kevin Kuhn from Switzerland (Circus-Reuz), who unexpectedly placed third in Val di Sole last year, and Britain's Cameron Mason (Cyclocross Reds).

In the women's race, the Dutch riders are favorites again. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), last year's winner in Vermiglio and this year's victor at the Mountain Bike World Cup stage in Daolasa di Commezzadura, is motivared to extend her winning streak in Val di Sole. She faces competition from compatriot Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck), the current World Cup leader and UCI ranking leader. Not to be overlooked are Canadian Maghalie Rochette, who placed third in Val di Sole in 2021, Czech Kristyna Zemanova (Brilon Racing), and Italian Sara Casasola of team FAS Airport Guerciotti, fresh from a bronze medal at the European Championships and eager to perform memorably for her home crowd.

This year's course has been modified compared to the 2021 and 2022 editions. The athletes will face a course that replaces the longest climb with two new bumps, designed to emphasize technical skills and speed, thus adding to the spectacle and unpredictability of the race.

A CLIMATE-NEUTRAL EVENT IN VERMIGLIO The Cyclocross World Cup organizers, always committed to sustainability, continue their ecological compensation efforts with the 2023 edition in partnership with Climate Partner. The event's unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions will be compensated for by supporting a project that promotes wind energy in Chile. The two wind farms, "El Pacifico" and "La Cebada," in the Coquimbo region, feature 57 turbines with a capacity of 109.6 MW, contributing to climate protection by saving approximately 197,420 tons of CO2 annually.