Maghalie Rochette the sole Canadian entrant of the UCI ‘cross World Cup in Bern, Switzerland

The UCI Cyclocross World Cup returns after a month’s recess for the third round in Bern, Switzerland on Sunday. The lone Canadian rider to make the trip across the Atlantic Ocean is winner of the elite women’s first round, national champ Maghalie Rochette. The women’s side sees several aces return to the World Cup for the first time this season. Fans can watch on the UCI’s YouTube channel or FloBikes.

Rochette beat out Czech Katerina Nash and American Clara Honsinger at Iowa’s Jinglecross before Nash’s experience proved the determining factor at a very muddy Waterloo, where Rochette placed fifth. Nash leads the Canadian by 15 points, with Honsinger a further 10 points back.

Absolutely DOMINANT performance from Maghalie Rochette this weekend in Iowa City ? #crossishere pic.twitter.com/chmjue0OvI

— FloBikes (@flobikes) September 16, 2019

World champion Sanne Cant is back after skipping North America, as is rising Dutch star Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who took last week’s first round of the Superprestige series almost a minute ahead of Cant. Nash, Rochette and Honsinger are in the first start row, while Cant and Alvarado start from Row 2.

Conditions might be dry for Sunday’s tilts.

Track building part 2!!! #ekzct #TelenetUCICXWC #bern pic.twitter.com/8xF5JJfM90

— EKZ CrossTour (@ekzcrosstour) October 16, 2019

Eli Isebyrt continues to rock the ‘cross world in his first year at the elite level. He leads the World Cup after winning the first two rounds, with last season’s champ Toon Aerts in second. Wout Van Aert is still recovering from a bad injury suffered at the Tour de France, and Mathieu van der Poel, last seen hitting the wall so hard it was almost audible, is resting up after a busy road schedule, but plans to contest the European Championships in November.

After Bern there’s almost another month until Round 4 in Tabor, Czech Republic.