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Fem van Empel is incredible with a soccer ball…Tom Pidcock not so much

'Cross pros showed off their skills in the beautiful game

Photo by: UCI Cyclocross World Cup
November 21, 2022
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Pro cyclists don’t have much time to play other sports, but it seems that some may have have played a bit of soccer growing up. At the recent ‘cross world cup in Overijse, Belgium, several riders and staff were challenged to show off their skills with a soccer ball. The UCI made a video of players showing off their “first touch” techniques, which is a player’s ability to control a pass and make the ball do what they want. Some of the riders had better control than others…and some took it one step further, doing a round of keep-ups.

A keep-up, of course, is juggling the ball using your feet, legs, knees, chest, head, and shoulders, and never allowing the ball to hit the ground. Soccer is a great workout, and a full game will definitely test your endurance. But it’s also a highly technical game, with the best players in the world possessing some incredible skills.

Holy Puck Pieterse has some amazing skills

Wayne Gretzky once said that it’s important for athletes to try other sports, as it can only make them better. “In youth hockey, in most cases, it’s really important for kids to play other sports – whether it’s indoor lacrosse or soccer or baseball. I think what that does is two things. One, each sport helps the other sport. And then I think taking time off in the off-season, that three or four-month window, really rejuvenates kids so when they come back at the end of August, they’re more excited.”

Take a look at some of the skills of the world’s ‘crossers below.