The 2020/2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup, originally scheduled for 14 events, then shortened in July to 11 events, is now down to just 6 events.
Today the UCI announced that the planned UCI World Cup stops in Hoogerheide (The Netherlands), Villars (Switzerland), Koksijde and Diegem (Belgium) and Besançon (France) are all canceled.
The Zonhoven stop, originally scheduled for October 25 and rescheduled to December 13th, is also in jeopardy.
As per the UCI:
The UCI regrets to announce that the five rounds in Koksijde (Belgium), Besançon (France), Diegem (Belgium), Villars (Switzerland) and Hoogerheide Provincie Noord Brabant (Netherlands) scheduled respectively on 22 and 29 November, 27 December, and 17 and 24 January 2021, have been canceled at the request of the organizers. The round of Zonhoven (Belgium), originally scheduled for December 13, is currently under discussion.
Flanders Classics, in coordination with the UCI, is now working on a new revised calendar for the 2020-2021 UCI World Cup, to be announced as soon as possible.
Here is the revised 2020-2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup schedule as it stands:
| Date | Venue | Categories | ||||
| ME | WE | – | – | – | ||
| ME | WE | MU | MJ | WJ | ||
| 01.11.2020 | Overijse (BEL) | ME | WE | – | – | – |
| 15.11.2020 | Tábor (CZE) | ME | WE | MU | MJ | WJ |
| ME | WE | – | – | – | ||
| ME | WE | MU | MJ | WJ | ||
| 06.12.2020 | Wachtebeke (BEL) | ME | WE | – | – | – |
| 13.12.2020 (was 25.10.2020) |
Zonhoven (BEL) | ME | WE | – | – | – |
| ME | WE | – | – | – | ||
| 20.12.2020 | Namur (BEL) | ME | WE | MU | MJ | WJ |
| ME | WE | MU | MJ | WJ | ||
| 03.01.2021 | Hulst (NED) | ME | WE | – | – | – |
| ME | WE | MU | MJ | WJ | ||
| ME | WE | MU | MJ | WJ | ||
The announcement has at least one top U.S. pro likely sitting out the season, just as many of us amateurs are doing.
Kerry Werner tweeted, “I think I’ll be sitting this season out. Too much money and time spent worrying about what cx will look like. So I’ll just bag it.”
I think I’ll be sitting this season out. Too much money and time spent worrying about what cx will look like. So I’ll just bag it. Still have fun in the us though. Check my pledge reg page for next weekends event. https://t.co/GgfgPqTknR
— Kerry Werner (@kerryw24) October 7, 2020
Despite the lack of U.S. UCI cyclocross races, several pros had hope of racing in Europe, albeit in front of no fans.
With the new announcement of a UCI Cyclocross World Cup in flux, the decision to move to Europe for the season seems to be a risky one, especially with rising COVID-19 cases throughout much of Europe.
CXM contributor Corey Coogan Cisek is one U.S. pro to make the leap across the pond this season, thanks to a sportsperson exception. Stay tuned for chronicles of her adventures.
Stay tuned as we keep you up to date on the ever-changing UCI cyclocross schedule.
