Cyclocross World Championships can go ahead with stricter coronavirus measures, UCI says 

The Cyclocross World Championships will be going ahead with stricter coronavirus measures, the UCI has announced.

As the 2021 Worlds approach, there was doubt about the fate of the event due to a new coronavirus strain reaching Belgium. 

But the international governing body has confirmed the racing in Ostend, Belgium on January 30 and 31 will continue, but with a reduction of accredited personnel on site and tougher sanitary regulations.

UCI president David Lappartient said: “I would like to thank the spirit of cooperation demonstrated by all the players, organisers and competent authorities, who have made it possible to safeguard the championships for the benefit of the athletes, viewers, partners, and all fans of our sport despite the current very challenging circumstances.” 

There will be no junior event’s at this year’s CX Worlds, as already announced by the UCI, but the under-23 men’s and elite women’s races will be going ahead on Saturday, followed by the U23 women’s and elite men the following day. 

The event recently came into doubt as cases in the area increased due to a new strain of Covid-19, believed to have originated in South Africa.   

Reigning world champions Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Celyn del Carmen Alvarado will be lining up in Ostend this weekend, along with challengers like Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Tom Pidcock.

Belgium is also set to host the 2021 road World Championships later this year, with the event being held in Flanders between September 19-26. 

The will be four host cities for the 2021 road Worlds - Bruges, Knokke-Heist, Antwerp and Leuven, where 11 world titles will be decided.  

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The road race events will start in Antwerp and finish in Leuven, with the men’s racing taking in 267km while the women’s covers 157km.