[Race thread] 2025 World Championships Liévin (FRA) - Day 3
| Date | Location | Startlist | Start time | Official stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Feb | Liévin, FRA | M Junior | 11:05 (CET) | Junior men |
| W U23 | 13:05 (CET) | U23 women | ||
| M Elite | 15:05(CET) | elite men |
| Main info | Official website, UCI race hub, course, cyclocross24 race info page |
| Course videos | Maxi Kerl, Sagan Goertz, and Puck Pieterse |
| Previews | U23 women preview, elite men preview (both Dutch), Velo mega-preview (paywalled), CyclingNews preview |
| Live updates | Live timing, Sporza live stream & ticker junior men, U23 women, and elite men (Dutch) |
| TV | Full list of official broadcasters, Europe: Eurosport/Discovery+/HBO Max, US/Canada: Flosport, UK: BBC, Belgium: Sporza/VRT/RTBF, Netherlands: NOS, Czechia: CT Sport, Italy: Rai Sport, Slovakia: Slovakia TV sport |
| UCI stream | Junior men, U23 women and elite men (only accessible from countries where no one bought the broadcasting rights such as the US, Brazil or Australia) |
Junior men favourites
There's two big favourites for the junior men's race: France's Soren Bruyère and Italy's Mattia Agostinacchio. Both won two World Cup races, and Agostinacchio managed to add the Euro title while Bruyère won the overall World Cup, though it was a close fight between the two.
France have another iron in the fire with Théophile Vassal, who hasn't taken a big international win this year, but has been a consistent feature at the top end of results lists. Another outsider is Germany's Benedikt Benz who didn't feature much internationally, until the last few weeks winning in both Dendermonde and Hoogherheide.
And finally there's always a gaggle of Belgian contenders with Giel Lejeune, Arthur Van Den Boer and Mats Vanden Eynde. Lejeune is only a 1st year junior, so his World Cup win in Hulst is also given him a succesful season, and Van Den Boer and Vanden Eynde both look to be peaking just in time.
U23 women favourites
Just like last year, Backstedt and Schreiber are the favourites for the U23 race. Though the muddy conditions might give defending champ Zoe the upper hand.
There are outsiders though, like Gery who took the Euro title ahead of an in form Schreiber back in November, and Bentveld who had some strong results earlier in the season. Or Holmgren, Wolff or Chladonová who have been showing themselves in the top 10s of elite races. With no U23 women's races apart from championships, it's always a bit of a surprise to see how everyone measures up.
Elite men favourites
Van der Poel has never hit that 100% win rate and has had plenty of issues with tyre choices, course furniture and random off days before. So while he has been dominant this season, there is always an outside chance for another winner. According to Roger De Vlaeminck, there's a 60% chance Van der Poel takes his 7th cross world title, 30% chance of a Van Aert win, and a slim 10% chance Nys ends the day in rainbows.
There are plenty of other riders who'll want to prove his podium prediction wrong with Vanthourenhout, Aerts, Van der Haar, Wyseure, Sweeck, Iserbyt and a re-emerging Nieuwenhuis in with a shot at a medal. And even some non-Dutch speakers with Orts, Kuhn, Mein and Mason getting some top 10s in recent World Cups.