Is this weekend’s CX World Cup the most Canadian course yet?

On Sunday the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup will switch mud for snow as the next round heads to Val di Sole in Italy. Although the venue has been used for several mountain bike races in the past, this will be the first time the CX World Cup visits it.

It will definitely have a different feel than the last World Cup in France and Superprestige in Belgium. Those races were muddy and slippery and relatively mild for a European winter. The Italian course is built around a Nordic skiing centre in Vermiglio. It is at an altitude of 1261 m and temperatures in December can vary between a high of 3 C during the day and -7 C at night.

Snow, snow, snow

The World Cup organizer Chris Mannaerts has been in Val di Sole for several days preparing the course for the race. The track is now covered in snow, which is exactly what the organizers wanted. Had there not been snow, there was even talk of bringing in snow cannons, the kind used for ski hills, to ensure the course was a winter wonderland.

“Sometimes the track is more icy, sometimes more snow. We expect more snow, the local experts told us it could snow another 40 cm but it won’t be a problem because the locals are experts at preparing the snow,” he said.

Looks like they are setting up a CX course in Val di Sole!!!! (Well, actually, it looks like a lot of stakes in a field of snow, but…..) pic.twitter.com/8RRonDEsYd

— Corey Coogan Cisek (@CCooganCisek) December 5, 2021

Olympics in the future?

For many of the riders, this will be a unique experience, as it’s not often snowy in ‘cross. Some of the cyclocross community hope this may bode well for a shot at being included in the Olympics, which has been discussed for years without success.

Former world champion Sven Nys thinks that the snowy course has a chance of laying the groundwork for a solid argument to the IOC. “”If our sport becomes an Olympic sport, the sky’s the limit,” the Belgian told Sporza on Monday. “Then all federations will wake up and put money into cyclo-cross again.”

First look at the track! So much fun! pic.twitter.com/gVsVPmZxE4

— Corey Coogan Cisek (@CCooganCisek) December 10, 2021

Big names will be there

A lot of heavy hitters will be showing on on Sunday including Tom Pidcock, Wout and van Aert, as well as Marianne Vos, Sanne Cant and Canada’s Maghalie Rochette. Rochette has had some terrific races as of late, and has said before she likes the slog of slippery mud, and definitely enjoys riding in the snow. Could this be a course that would see the Quebec rider take her first European World Cup win?

Maghalie Rochette and Raphaël Lemieux have a “girl’s night out”

The course itself has two distinctive features. The start has a very technical track which leads to a frozen river, then the riders will take a straight shot on open paths to a steep hill. Depending on the ruts of the snow, some riders will be able to ride, others will be forced to run. It’s definitely the kind of hill that an absolute powerhouse like van Aert could use to his advantage.

You can watch the UCI Cyclocross World Cup on Flobikes.com