On Sunday 3 November, Pontevedra (Spain) will host one of the most exciting editions of the Cyclo-Cross European Championships.
The Galician town, which has been a point of reference for international Cyclo-Cross races for many years, is once again preparing to host a series of high-level challenges.
185 athletes from 19 countries have registered for the continental event. The seven titles will be up for grabs on Saturday and Sunday (the Masters races will take place on Friday 1 November with 321 entries): Elite Men, Junior Men, Men Under 23, Women Under 23, Elite Women, Junior Women, as well as the Mixed Relay title.
In the Men's Elite race, the challenge is expected to continue between the Belgian and Dutch riders, the two national teams that will be lining up at the start with a number of top-class athletes.
The Belgian team, in addition to reigning European Champion Michael Vanthourenhout (also first in 2022), will include former European Champions Toon Aerts (2016) and Eli Iserbyt (2020) as well as young Thibau Nys and Niels Vandeputte.
Lars van der Haar, winner of the first European Elite title in 2015 and European Champion in 2021, will lead the Dutch team, which will also include Ryan Kamp and Pim Ronhaar.The presence of British rider Cameron Manson, second last year behind Vanthourenhout, will be particularly interesting.
Reigning World Champion Fem van Empel (Netherlands) and her compatriots Lucinda Brand and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado will be the stars of the Women's race, along with Denise Betsema and Annemarie Worst, as well as Belgium's Sanne Cant, France's Hélène Clauzel and Italy's Sara Casasola.
In the Under 23s, Jente Michiels (Belgium) and Marie Schreiber (Luxembourg), Célia Grey (France) and Kristýna Zemanová (Czechia) will be in action.
Among the expected protagonists in the Junior events are Kryštof Bažant (Czechia), the Belgians Arthur Van Den Boer, Mats Vanden Eynde, Giel Lejeune, the Austrian Valentin Hofer and the young Anja Grossmann (Switzerland) in the Women's category.
Enrico Della Casa, President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme: "With the Cyclo-Cross European Championships in Pontevedra, we are gearing up for another exciting edition of this discipline. Cyclo-Cross is a fascinating form of cycling, rich in history and tradition, with deep roots in Europe.
Spain, a land of great passion for cycling, and the region of Galicia, renowned for its rich culture, offer an ideal setting for this high-level event. We are honoured to be able to collaborate once again with the Real Federación Española de Ciclismo and its President José Luis Lopez Cerron, with whom we have an established relationship, and with the Federación Galega de Ciclismo chaired by Juan Carlos Muñiz Nieto, who is also head of the Organising Committee.
Our special thanks go to the City of Pontevedra, whose mayor Miguel Anxo Fernández Lores has welcomed us with great enthusiasm from the presentation of the bid to the organisation of this event, and to the Organising Committee, headed by Alberto Del Rio Lorenzo, for their tireless work and dedication in ensuring the success of these Championships.
We are convinced that this will be a memorable event for athletes, enthusiasts and all those who help celebrate the excellence of European Cyclo-Cross.
During what is sure to be a weekend of great sport, the UEC Management Board and the European cycling family will stand by the Czech delegation at this difficult time, following the recent and sudden death of their President Petr Marek, honouring his memory and remembering the valuable contribution he made to our sport.”
