One of the biggest stories of 2019 in the cyclocross world was the vagueness surrounding the changes coming for the World Cup after the Flanders Classics organization purchased rights to the series.
A preliminary schedule released by the UCI suggested there would be 16 total World Cup races spread across 8 countries. However, the initial deadline of December 15 for releasing the dates and host countries came and went with no news.
Reporting from Wierlerflits.nl published today contained some big news for the 2020/21 schedule now set to be released at the traditional time during the week of the World Championships in Switzerland.
The headline focuses on news the Netherlands will be hosting two World Cups next season, but the article commits the age-old journalistic trick of burying the lede.
Translated headline from Wielerflits article. Not really the lede.
Down in the fifth graf, it states (translated): “WielerFlits has confirmed that there will not be sixteen but fourteen games in next season’s World Cup.”
Seven of the races will be in Belgium and seven will be in not-Belgium. The Netherlands will host two and Besançon in France and Tabor in the Czech Republic will be two more of the not-Belgium races.
As for the seven Belgium races, the article reports: “The Belgian competitions in pole position, but not yet confirmed to us, are Overijse, Diegem, Zonhoven, Koksijde, Wachtebeke and Namur. Heusden-Zolder is also a potential candidate.”
As for the Dutch World Cups, Hoogerheide returns, and Vestingcross Hulst will join as a World Cup event. Hulst was a part of the Brico Cross series last year and takes place as an Ethias Cross race on February 16. As for the name Vestingcross, noted huckster Lyle Lanley breaks it down.
image: frinkiac.com
Former World Cup host and host of the 2018 World Championships Valkenburg did not submit an application, so it seems unlikely cyclocross racing will return there in 2020.
Stay tuned for more as we continue to follow World Cuppalooza.
Featured image: Bart Hazen
