It’s a double bubble in cyclo-cross land this weekend!!! A report from Tim Costello from https://rijden.uk/

It’s a double bubble in cyclo cross land this weekend. Kicking off on Saturday is the Urban Cross Kortrijk. Fem van Empel makes her return and should romp off into the sunset. It’s a great chance for some less well-known riders to shine.
Perhaps Iserbyt will break his Belgian duck for the first time this season? Saturday – Urban Cross Kortrijk
Coverage: Sporza, Eurosport (e.g. terrestrial, Discovery+ and HBO Max), Flobikes
Race times and start lists: Elite women 12:45 UK time & Elite men 14:00 UK time

Kortrijk’s Urban Cross is one of my favourite courses. As the name suggests, it’s located in the heart of the West Flandrian city, making it quite unique. But what makes it particularly special is the stunning sight of the riders racing across the river Leie twice each lap. Kortrijk has a long association with cycle racing. Previous inhabitants include Greg Lemond, Stijn Devolder, and Leif Hoste. Kortrijk has been the start or finish point for a number of prestigious road races. Most recently, Wout van Aert won the 2024 edition of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. It’s something of a surprise then that the Urban Cross is a relatively modern race having only begun in 2019. Last year’s victors were Fem van Empel and Eli Iserbyt. It’s possible that this year’s edition, being the day before the first round of the World Cup and now part of the Exact Cross rather than the X²O Badkamers series, may draw a weaker field. Even if it does, it will be a spectacle and give us the chance to watch some of the lesser-known riders at the front of the race.

Availability of TV coverage for the World Cup is dependent upon where you live. If you live in a country without a contract to broadcast the race, such as the US, you should be able to watch it for free on YouTube.
UK Coverage: Discovery+, Eurosport
USA, Canadian & Australian Coverage: UCI YouTube channel
Belgian Coverage: VRT 1, Sporza, RTBF (TBC)
German Coverage: Discovery+
Ireland Coverage: Eurosport, Max
Netherlands Coverage: NPO1, Eurosport, HBO
Coverage is based upon information from the UCI which may be revised at the last minute.
Race times and start lists:
Elite women 12:40 UK time
Elite men 14:10 UK time

This year’s UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup kicks off in Antwerp on Sunday which is over a month later than last year. The series this season is closely packed around Christmas. Perhaps the UCI should rename it the Kerstperiode Cross series. Despite the UCI’s attempts to mondialise the sport, the UCI World Cup is even more Be-Nel centric than before. Seventy-five percent of all the rounds are held in either Belgium or the Netherlands. For the first time in a decade, apart from the COVID year, it’s an entirely European affair. You might think that the whole thing has been tailor made to suit Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel. But will they ride many, or indeed any, rounds? Last year Mathieu van der Poel was first across the line ahead of Wout with Fem van Empel first in the women’s event. Van Empel will face stiff opposition from Alvarado and Brand but of the men, it’s almost impossible to pick a winner. No one rider has dominated. Expect more of the same.

Tim Costello is also promoting the British National CX series and told me that Irish riders are very welcome, here one on Sunday 8th December (UCI Clanfield Cross) British Cycling National Trophy Series Round 4, 7th & 8th December 2024
Incorporating the Youth Inter-regional Team Championships …al info of entry on https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/307414/Lloyds-Bank-Cyclo-cross-National-Trophy-Series-202425-Round-4 (Anyone holding a licence issued by an Overseas Governing Body, please email a copy of the licence to marknulty@britishcycling.org.uk. Once the details have been checked, you will receive a code to enter the event using the ‘Overseas Licence Holder’ option)