Round 4 of the Cyclocross World Cup arrives this Sunday, December 14, on one of the sport’s most iconic venues. The slopes of the Citadel of Namur will once again host many of the world’s best riders, all battling for crucial World Cup points on what is widely regarded as the toughest course of the entire series. Below we take a look at the map, the start lists, the favourites and how to watch the racing across the United States and United Kingdom.
This could be nicknamed the “Citadel Cross”, a name that has stuck over the past decade. The course winds its way up, down and around the historic fortifications above the Meuse river, creating a test unlike anything else on the calendar.
The route is famous for its steep climbing, long rutted descents and heavy mud, and it consistently rewards the best all-rounders. There are no simple laps here. Mistakes happen easily, recovery is difficult, and the course usually extracts a winner through sheer attrition rather than explosive accelerations.
Map UCI World Cup Namur Cyclocross 2025
How to watch
The women’s elite race begins at 13:40 CET, finishing around 14:30 CET.
The men’s elite race starts at 15:10 CET and should finish close to 16:15 CET.
Broadcast coverage follows the usual pattern for World Cup rounds. The race is live on Eurosport, HBO Max/Discover+ and the UCI YouTube channel (geo-restrictions can apply). Coverage is also carried in:
BelgiumTelenet PlaySports & Pickx+ SportsUnited States and CanadaFloBikesFranceL’ÉquipeTVNetherlandsNOSCzech RepublicCeská TeleviseItalyRaiPlayDenmarkTV2 DanmarkSlovakiaRTV: Sport Slovakia
In the United Kingdom the race is available on Discovery+, or via the UCI YouTube channel where rights allow.
Men’s race
Namur almost always reshuffles the World Cup standings. The sheer difficulty of the Citadel rewards the most complete riders and punishes anyone low on form or still building condition. This is also the round where many big names begin their December campaigns. Riders skipping Terralba often reappear here, making Namur a far deeper field than the previous weekend.
A major excitement is the return of Mathieu van der Poel, who is expected to launch his cyclocross season in Namur. His presence immediately reshapes expectations. Behind him, the familiar Dutch core of Lars van der Haar, Joris Nieuwenhuis, Pim Ronhaar, David Haverdings and Ryan Kamp should all feature prominently. Thibau Nys has shown strong level on the climbs this season and Namur historically suits his punchy style.
Belgian riders such as Laurens Sweeck, Niels Vandeputte, Joran Wyseure and Toon Vandebosch should also appear near the front. The Citadel’s heavy mud sections and repeated climbing usually favour experienced riders comfortable with losing and gaining momentum. Conditions can be decisive, and if the course softens, it becomes a true survival race rather than a tactical one.
Startlist World Cup Namur MenNUMBERNAMENATIONALITYWCSUCI1Mathieu van der PoelNED72Joris NieuwenhuisNED363Lars van der HaarNED784Pim RonhaarNED16115Tibor del GrossoNED146Ryan KampNED6187Mees HendrikxNED10218David HaverdingsNED29469Danny van LieropNED357310Senna RemijnNED8511Keije SolenNED10612Jette JochemsNED36013Max RijversNED49514Michael VanthourenhoutBEL4115Thibau NysBEL1216Toon AertsBEL14317Niels VandeputteBEL5418Laurens SweeckBEL2519Emiel VerstryngeBEL13920Joran WyseureBEL191021Jente MichelsBEL112022Toon VandeboschBEL82423Kay de BruyckereBEL3024Victor van de PutteBEL123225Witse MeeussenBEL153926Wout JanssenBEL239827Anton FerdinandeBEL12028Antoine JaminBEL18729David MenutFRA3630Nathan BommenelFRA224531Martin GroslambertFRA375032Théo ThomasFRA5833Rémi LelandaisFRA319134Felipe Orts LloretESP261235Mario Junquera San MillanESP2836Kevin KuhnSUI171537Lars SommerSUI4838Loris RouillerSUI5539Nicolas BardSUI911040Cameron MasonGBR331641Thomas MeinGBR182242Andrew StrohmeyerUSA1743Frederick JungeUSA22644Carden KingUSA24245Finn WestoverUSA35146Nikolas MilanovicUSA47Luca HarterGER8448Lukas HerrmannGER10149Jonas KöpselGER11350Silas KuschlaGER11751Max Heiner OertzenGER11952Matteo OberteicherGER16253Rhett BatesCAN22554Liam SargentCAN22955Stefano ViezziITA3756Matia AgostinacchioITA8157Filippo AstoginacchioITA2011158Michael BorošCZE212359Bailey GroenendaalDEN409760David RisbergSWE48961Vilmar AastrupSWE62Lennox PapiLUX58063Jacob TurnerNZL267Women’s raceThe women’s race promises one of the most competitive rounds of the early winter. Puck Pieterse is scheduled to make her return to cyclocross at Namur, instantly placing her among the top favourites. The repeated climbing and technical descents match her profile perfectly. Lucinda Brand has excelled here in the past and should once again be a major contender for the win.The standings could see substantial movement, as many riders skipped Terralba and return specifically for this round. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado continues to build form and is another rider to watch closely, as Namur rewards her combination of technique and endurance. Riders such as Shirin van Anrooij, Marion Norbert Riberolle, Marie Schreiber and Leonie Bentveld all have the potential to fight for podium positions or top fives.The startlist is typically one of the largest of the season in both quality and depth, and Namur tends to create significant gaps, so early positioning will be crucial on the opening climb out of the start loopStartlist World Cup Namur WomenNUMBERNAMENATIONALITYWCSUCI2Lucinda BrandNED213Inge van der HeijdenNED924Manon BakkerNED545Puck PieterseNED56Aniek van AlphenNED167Ceylin AlvaradoNED1678Leonie BentveldNED399Denise BetsemaNED81610Annemarie WorstNED143611Larissa HartogNED4112Lauren MolengraafNED194813Mae CabacaNED7114Anniek MosNED29615Pem HoefmansNED45616Amandine FouquenetFRA71517Hélène ClauzelFRA121718Célia GeryFRA252519Amandine MullerFRA222920Electa GallezotFRA415721Perrine ClauzelFRA286322Lauriane DuraffourgFRA24723Marion Norbert RiberolleBEL11824Julie BrouwersBEL101325Jinse PeetersBEL343726Kiona CrabbéBEL4427Sterre VervloetBEL267228Shanyl de SchoesitterBEL298929Kim van der SteeneBEL20330Xenna de BruyckereBEL33431Emeline DetilleuxBEL53432Ilken SeynaveBEL61033Juline DelcommuneBEL69434Sara CasasolaITA61135Lucia BramatiITA133836Giorgia SecchiITA24437Sara Cueto VegaESP3938Ana Lopez BurgosESP12539Luna Carrio HernandezESP38840Sidney McGillCAN211841Maghalle RochetteCAN302342Nico KnollCAN5943Dorothee PerronCAN17444Lidia CusackUSA244745Kaija BuddeGER9546Viktoria DehlerGER71647Ann-Dorthe LisbygdDEN8348Kristýna ZemanováCZE182849Xan CreesGBR474250Anna KayGBR384351Elena DayGBR11352Kacey EyeingtonGBR17253Léa SternSUI6254Rebekka EstermannSUI7655Jolanda NeffSUI22056Maité BarthelsLUX10357Liv WenzelLUX14858Layla BarthelsLUX19859Nina BertonLUX241