The 2018 Cyclocross World Championship in Valkenburg, Netherlands
The World Championships were muddy and hard contested this year. Like always, the fans were a blast!
The Cauberg in Valkenburg: a legendary hill for cyclists and their fans alike. The UCI Road World Championships have taken place here multiple times and the Amstel Gold Race is strongly associated with it. It only makes sense to also put the Cyclocross World Championships atop the Cauberg as well. Marcel and I were invited by SRAM to watch the epic race from the side lines.
The infamous Cauberg.
Marcel and I at the WM.
The Cauberg for Road riders.
The Cross niche
As soon as we arrived in Valkenburg, we entered into the unique world of Cyclocross. In the distance, the sound of bumping bass can be heard and groups of fans dressed in outrageous costumes are everywhere to be seen. Everyone has their countries flags with them in various forms and the smell of fries and hamburgers hangs in the air.
Great costumes.
These aren't just fans, these are dedicated supporters.
To the course!
Looking for the perfect spot to watch from.
Marcel super pumped for the race.
When we got to the course, the Cross fans crowded the side lines with us. They openly supported their favourite riders with jackets, caps, and scarfs. Looking around, I had the feeling that the entire population of Belgium had shown up. However, there were also plenty of other nationalities as well from Iceland all the way to Japan.
A hard course
The course in Valkenburg is very challenging. Every part of it was full of thick mud with deep-cut tyre tracks and steep sections that were almost impossible to ride. The days leading up to the World Cup were full of rain making much of the course one large slippery mud puddle.
“This is the hardest course I’ve ever ridden”
A part of the course from the top.
Sanne Cant, who won the Women’s World Cup the day before, said that this course really took it all out of her. As the Men’s U23 race began, it was easy to see that soon all of them were going to be feeling like Sanne.
The main event
At 3:00 pm, the Men’s World Cup started and the atmosphere was charged. Right at the beginning, it was clear that both Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert were going to be battling it out for first place. However, after two rounds, Wout van Aert pulled away and ended up taking the title. The rest of the race was still interesting with a bitter fight for podium spots. Michael Vanthourenhout took second place and van der Poel third.
Up the stairs they go.
The duo duelling.
Wout van Aert already out front.
Time to party!
After the rainbow jersey was awarded, the fans moved on to the party tent. With no hard feelings, everyone enjoyed each other’s company and raised there glasses to Cyclocross. With a great fan base and the perfect way to end an exciting race, the legendary Cauberg has a Cyclocross WM under its belt.
Walking was hard, now try and imagine riding.
In to the party tent!
The UCI lego man.
