Fans can be forgiven for expecting a boring Besancon World Cup course, given the course preview videos filled with dry grass.
Mother Nature and the racers ensured the new World Cup stop in France was both challenging and dramatic.
Eli Iserbyt and Toon Aerts resumed their battle from 24 hours prior, and fans were gifted with another memorable World Cup.
After a back-and-forth race in the heavy mud of Besancon, World Cup leader Eli Iserbyt was the last man standing, and sliding, to victory.
Eli Iserbyt wins in Besançon after an amazing battle with Toon Aerts! 🔥 Pim Ronhaar claims 🥉 under loud applause of Aerts! 👏 #CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/OLrU9lJmwd
— UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup (@UCIcyclocrossWC) November 28, 2021
Full results below.
Stay tuned for highlights.
2021 Besancon Cyclocross World Cup Results: Elite Men
| Pos | Nr | Name / UCI Cyclocross Team | NAT | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | ISERBYT Eli PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | BEL | 1:03:47 | - |
| 2 | 9 | AERTS Toon BALOISE TREK LIONS | BEL | 1:03:57 | +0:10 |
| 3 | 4 | RONHAAR Pim BALOISE TREK LIONS | NED | 1:05:31 | +1:44 |
| 4 | 10 | VANTHOURENHOUT Michael PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | BEL | 1:05:44 | +1:57 |
| 5 | 2 | VAN KESSEL Corne TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM | NED | 1:06:06 | +2:19 |
| 6 | 13 | VANDEPUTTE Niels ALPECIN - FENIX | BEL | 1:06:08 | +2:21 |
| 7 | 18 | MEEUSEN Tom CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES | BEL | 1:06:14 | +2:27 |
| 8 | 14 | VANDEBOSCH Toon PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | BEL | 1:06:18 | +2:31 |
| 9 | 55 | MEISEN Marcel ALPECIN - FENIX | GER | 1:06:27 | +2:40 |
| 10 | 11 | SWEECK Laurens PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | BEL | 1:06:29 | +2:42 |
| 11 | 52 | ORTS LLORET Felipe BURGOS-BH | ESP | 1:06:30 | +2:43 |
| 12 | 3 | KAMP Ryan PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | NED | 1:06:31 | +2:44 |
| 13 | 17 | LOOCKX Lander CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES | BEL | 1:06:40 | +2:53 |
| 14 | 16 | VERSTRYNGE Emiel TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM | BEL | 1:06:44 | +2:57 |
| 15 | 12 | BAESTAENS Vincent CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES | BEL | 1:06:50 | +3:03 |
| 16 | 19 | MICHELS Jente ALPECIN - FENIX | BEL | 1:07:01 | +3:14 |
| 17 | 38 | ROUILLER Loris ALPECIN - FENIX | SUI | 1:07:32 | +3:45 |
| 18 | 20 | DUBAU Joshua MASSI | FRA | 1:08:11 | +4:24 |
| 19 | 25 | THOMAS Theo TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM | FRA | 1:08:14 | +4:27 |
| 20 | 22 | MENUT David CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE | FRA | 1:08:19 | +4:32 |
| 21 | 36 | KUHN Kevin TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM | SUI | 1:08:22 | +4:35 |
| 22 | 44 | BERTOLINI Gioele SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE | ITA | 1:08:27 | +4:40 |
| 23 | 53 | BOROS Michael | CZE | 1:08:34 | +4:47 |
| 24 | 27 | PERIOU Tony TEAM S1NEO LOUDEAC | FRA | 1:08:38 | +4:51 |
| 25 | 28 | HUBY Antoine CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE | FRA | 1:09:14 | +5:27 |
| 26 | 32 | GROSLAMBERT Martin TEAM S1NEO LOUDEAC | FRA | 1:09:35 | +5:48 |
| 27 | 24 | CHAINEL Steve CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE | FRA | 1:09:55 | +6:08 |
| 28 | 21 | GRAS Yan TEAM PODIOCOM CC | FRA | 1:10:10 | +6:23 |
| 29 | 33 | ALLENO Clement | FRA | 1:10:25 | +6:38 |
| 30 | 5 | HENDRIKX Mees IKO - CRELAN | NED | 1:10:31 | +6:44 |
| 31 | 7 | GODRIE Stan | NED | 1:11:00 | +7:13 |
| 32 | 26 | LELANDAIS Remi CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE | FRA | 1:11:20 | +7:33 |
| 33 | 39 | MOTTIEZ Gilles CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE | SUI | 1:11:36 | +7:49 |
| 34 | 54 | PETRUS Lubomir ALPECIN-FENIX DEVELOPMENT TEAM | CZE | 1:11:47 | +8:00 |
| 35 | 6 | VAN DER MEER Gosse | NED | 1:11:58 | +8:11 |
| 36 | 46 | SAMPARISI Nicolas KTM ALCHEMIST POWERED BY BRENTA BRAKES | ITA | 1:12:08 | +8:21 |
| 37 | 31 | DUBAU Lucas | FRA | 1:12:30 | +8:43 |
| 38 | 47 | SAMPARISI Lorenzo KTM ALCHEMIST POWERED BY BRENTA BRAKES | ITA | -1 LAP | |
| 39 | 30 | GABRIEL Timothe | FRA | -1 LAP | |
| 40 | 50 | FEDE Gabriel SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE | ITA | -1 LAP | |
| 41 | 23 | CASTILLE Noe CROSS TEAM LEGENDRE | FRA | -1 LAP | |
| 42 | 57 | HAUSSLER Heinrich BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS | AUS | -1 LAP | |
| 43 | 41 | OPPIZZI Matteo | SUI | -1 LAP | |
| 44 | 56 | TOEMKE Pascal SCHAMEL P/B KLOSTER KITCHEN | GER | -2 LAP | |
| 45 | 29 | RICHARD ANDRADE Florian | FRA | -2 LAP | |
| 46 | 40 | JEKER Hannes | SUI | -3 LAP | |
| 47 | 49 | AGOSTINACCHIO Filippo SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE | ITA | -3 LAP | |
| 48 | 51 | MANCINELLI Philippe CYCLING CAFE' RACING TEAM | ITA | -3 LAP | |
| 49 | 48 | LEONE Samuele SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE | ITA | -4 LAP | |
| 50 | 58 | ROMAN RAKOS Sebastian | CHI | -5 LAP |
