Here are the five cyclo-cross races you can watch Wout van Aert vs Mathieu van der Poel this winter

The world's top two men's cyclo-cross racers, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel have both announced their programmes for this winter now, setting the scene for five thrilling face-offs.

Two of those will be in the UCI World Cup series, two in the top-tier X2O Trofee and one at the Exact Cross at Mol on January 2.

Although their seasons these days are built around the road, both riders are former cyclo-cross world champions and World Cup winners, and even now start as favourites in any race they enter. Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is the more prolific of the two, having won five World Cup rounds and the Elite Men's World Championships last season – and beaten Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) twice while doing so.

It all means that the other top men's racers have been watching carefully for this particular announcement, as their return to the fray will have a significant impact on the World Cup plans of the more dedicated cyclo-crossers.

"Mathieu, and Wout coming back is a factor…" British cross racer Cameron Mason told Cycling Weekly last month.

"They'll probably be back racing in December," he said. "Even without them the depth of the elite riders is pretty apparent this year [but] I don't have any doubts that I can be there on the right day."

His short but sweet cyclo-cross season is timed to contribute to his build-up to the early-season Classics, Van Aert explained on the Visma-Lease a Bike website.

“The Christmas period is a phase of the cyclocross season that I always enjoy being part of,” he said. “Because of the races themselves, the large numbers of supporters who come thanks to the holidays, and the fact that these races fit perfectly into my build-up towards the major spring classics on the road.”

This season, Van Aert's scant eight-race programme is significantly more compact than that of his rival, with Van der Poel planning to compete in 13 races, including the World Championships in Hulst, Netherlands. If the Dutchman – who is the current reigning champion – won this, it would be his ninth rainbow jersey in the event.

One top CX rider who is expected to be missing this winter, however, is Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling), who has made no moves towards off-road so far.

Races in bold below will see the pair together.

Wout van Aert's cyclo-cross programme 25/26

December 20 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Antwerp
December 22 – X2O Trofee, Hofstade
December 23 – Superprestige, Heusden-Zolder
December 28 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Dendermonde
December 29 – X2O Trofee, Loenhout
January 2 – Exact Cross, Mol
January 4 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Zonhoven
January 11 – Belgian National Championships, Beringen

Mathieu van der Poel's cyclo-cross programme 25/26

December 14 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Namur (tbc)
December 20 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Antwerp
December 21 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Koksijde
December 22 – X2O Trofee, Hofstade
December 26 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Gavere
December 29 – X2O Trofee, Loenhout
January 1 – X2O Trofee, Baal
January 2 – Exact Cross, Mol
January 4 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Zonhoven
January 18 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Benidorm (tbc)
January 24 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Maasmechelen
January 25 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Hoogerheide
February 1 – UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, Hulst