On December 26, the cyclo-cross season resumes after a few days of rest. Tibor Del Grosso could celebrate Christmas with a great feeling following his surprising victory in Heusden-Zolder. World champion Mathieu van der Poel, meanwhile, holds four wins in as many races. Wout van Aert will not be racing in Gavere. WielerFlits looks ahead.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2024 |  Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2023 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2022 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2022 | Lars van der Haar |
| 2020 |  Tom Pidcock |
| 2019 |  Eli Iserbyt |
| 2018 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2017 | Wout van Aert |
| 2016 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2015 | Wout van Aert |
In 2022, with Flanders Classics taking over as organizer, the course received a major overhaul, although the Nova friends still handled the layout of the route. A few acrobatic descents, followed by a long climb. This remains the recipe for the spectacle that cyclo-cross fans will be treated to in Gavere in 2025 on the slopes of the Scheldt River.
Meanwhile, the start-finish lane received a fresh layer of asphalt. After the start, the route descends towards the Goemaere orchards. About three climbs remain on that section of the course.
After that, riders head to the path along the pond, then turn right towards the iconic long climb in the military domain of Gavere. Historically, this section often made the difference, both riding and running. The loop then repeats, including the spectacular descent with the air cushion.
Another change since then is the relocation of the VIP and public tents. The VIP tent was moved to the grounds of the Gavere military barracks. Riders pass through there via two bridges about 100 meters apart, crossing over the barracks fence.
Men
When we say world champion Mathieu van der Poel is racing in Gavere, you already know what to expect. In his last four cyclo-cross races, there was no stopping an incredibly strong Van der Poel, but here we get a different course. Van der Poel was particularly dominant on flatter sandy tracks, somewhat less so when climbing uphill in Namur. Gavere offers similar conditions, but it would take a lot for Van der Poel to be beaten.
His teammate Tibor Del Grosso should theoretically be the biggest challenger. In Heusden-Zolder, the Dutch champion claimed his first international cyclo-cross victory, which will undoubtedly give him a boost. In recent races, Del Grosso was often the man who could hold on to Van der Poel the longest, but beating Wout van Aert in a sprint would elevate him even further. The Dutch champion is the cross’s rising star.
Del Grosso has also made smart choices in his race program in recent weeks. Initially, Gavere was not a sure event for him, but thanks to the good form he's showing, this tough race has been added to his schedule. You should not expect Wout van Aert in Gavere, however. He is enjoying the Christmas holidays with his family and will only return on December 28 in Dendermonde.
Definitely part of the line-up in Gavere is Thibau Nys. The Belgian champion alternates strong days, such as in Namur, with races affected by back issues. His team has said those problems mainly occur on flat sandy courses and less so uphill, which is encouraging for young Nys. In Gavere, he might be able to fully unleash his strength again.
Other riders who performed well in Namur, like Michael Vanthourenhout, Lars van der Haar, and European champion Toon Aerts, are also expected to be at the front here. Climber-type Emiel Verstrynge can again contend for a podium spot, and Cameron Mason and Niels Vandeputte are showing consistent good form.
Women
Will we see more competition among the women? That remains to be seen, as the athlete who has dominated the entire season also aims to clear this one in Gavere: Lucinda Brand. Even at 36, Brand shows no signs of slowing down. She picks her races wisely but mainly focuses on scoring at championships.
Aside from the European Championships in Middelkerke, it took a long time before anyone got close to Brand, but Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado is now emerging as a medium-term challenger. Alvarado still carries some lingering effects from illness but came very close in Antwerp. Promising!
Also impressive in her first race in over a month: Hungarian Blanka Vas. She finished second immediately in Heusden-Zolder, although Aniek van Alphen accused her of passive racing tactics. If Vas gains a bit more strength in the coming weeks, she will likely race more actively. Van Alphen herself continues to perform at a high level and currently leads the Superprestige.
The surprising winner in Heusden-Zolder was Amandine Fouquenet. Thanks to that impressive victory, she won’t be missing from any favorites list anymore. Furthermore, the climbing course in Gavere suits Dutch champion Puck Pieterse very well. She may be aiming for her first win of the season here, along with Shirin van Anrooij and Marie Schreiber.
According to insiders, this could be the driest edition of Gavere in years. There has been little precipitation all week, and the race day itself is expected to remain dry. It will be cold, with temperatures up to 3 degrees Celsius.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Fem van Empel |
| 2023 | Puck Pieterse |
| 2022 | Shirin van Anrooij |
| 2022 | Lucinda Brand |
| 2020 | Lucinda Brand |
| 2019 | Yara Kastelijn |
| 2018 |  Alice Maria Arzuffi |
| 2017 | Ellen Van Loy |
| 2016 | Sanne Cant |
| 2015 | Sanne Cant |
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup - Gavere| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 01:05:29 | |
| 2 | + 26 | |
| 3 | + 41 | |
| 4 | + 55 | |
| 5 | + 01:32 | |
| 6 | + 01:48 | |
| 7 | + 01:50 | |
| 8 | + 01:52 | |
| 9 | + 02:06 | |
| 10 | + 02:24 |
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup - Gavere| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 52:24 | |
| 2 | + 37 | |
| 3 | + 46 | |
| 4 | + 01:36 | |
| 5 | + 02:06 | |
| 6 | + 02:18 | |
| 7 | + 02:30 | |
| 8 | + 02:56 | |
| 9 | + 03:25 | |
| 10 | + 03:35 |
Will Del Grosso seize his chance again? - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
| # | Rider | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 90.90% | |
| 2 | 1.43% | |
| 3 | 1.12% | |
| 4 | 0.76% | |
| 5 | 0.71% |
How long will Lucinda Brand keep winning? - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
| # | Rider | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 68.22% | |
| 2 | 8.75% | |
| 3 | 4.37% | |
| 4 | 4.26% | |
| 5 | 3.42% |
