{"id":23567,"title":"What's Belgian Cyclocross Really Like?","description":"Want to know what Belgian cyclocross is really like?\nWe join the party at the Jaarmarktcross Niel to find out what Belgian cyclocross is really like. If you\u2019ve never been over to Belgium to watch international cyclocross then read on.","content":"

Published in<\/strong>: CYCLOCROSS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

Want to know what Belgian cyclocross is really like?<\/p>

We join the party at the Jaarmarktcross Niel to find out what Belgian cyclocross is really like. If you\u2019ve never been over to Belgium to watch international cyclocross then read on.<\/p>

\"ghwg4ntawfzclydofamywqn8gkxhll73ojz6hlsso1jqv06k.jpg\" In the first half of a two-part article, we report back on our experience at the Jaarmarktcross Niel.<\/p>

Rose-tinted view<\/h3>

Watching sports on TV always gives a distorted, almost \u2018rose-tinted\u2019, view of an event. You simply turn on the TV, plonk down into your armchair, crack open a bottle of beer and you\u2019re there. Soon your TV screen is filled with dramatic images, enhanced by rock music. Before your eyes, the world\u2019s superstars perform incredible feats.<\/p>

Something special<\/p><\/blockquote>

The advantage is that you miss out on the queuing, you get to see the best action, but you lose something special - the atmosphere. We headed off to Flanders to experience both ends of the Belgian cyclocross spectrum.<\/p>

\"g4z7ohdgrgem4zclm4ydbhfx72rcsfrysnl0cxquanumtsd9.jpg\"Laurens Sweeck was the fans\u2019 favourite<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

I\u2019d already planned to stay at the Flandrien Hotel<\/a> so all I needed to do was arrange our visit to coincide with suitable races. I plumped for the Jaarmarktcross Niel which is part of the Telenet Superprestige series and a round of the more humble LRC (Landelijke Recreatieve Crossers).<\/p>

Jaarmarktcross Niel<\/h3>

The Jaarmarktcross<\/a> is one of the oldest regular cyclocross events, having first been run in the early 1960s. The list of previous male winners is a veritable who\u2019s who of cyclocross. Mathieu van der Poel, Sven Nys, Eli Iserbyt, Bart Wellens, Toon Aerts, Richard Groenendaal and Erik De Vlaeminck have all graced the top step of the podium.<\/p>

\"59btlnxkhblxbs61bgqvd9dhi72cqwsfmrlwjp4eh8bb8o4y.jpg\"Alvarado is back<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

A surprising omission is Wout van Aert. A youthful van Aert finished second twice behind Sven Nys when he was still an under-23 rider. He\u2019s not ridden it since and the chances are he may never, given he starts his cyclocross season so late.<\/p>

Unsurprisingly, the women\u2019s race is comparatively new. The first winner was Briton Helen Wyman in 2010 who was succeeded the following year by her countryman Nikki Brammeier. Sanne Cant won on her debut in 2013 and has taken victory five times.<\/p>

\"visualREAD MORE<\/strong>: Read all our cyclocross guides and articles for free<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. If you want to improve your cyclocross skills, find out how to race cyclocross in Belgium or read rider interviews then explore all Rijden\u2019s cyclocross articles.<\/em><\/p>

\"Read<\/u><\/a><\/p>

Reflecting on the swing in women\u2019s cyclocross to the Netherlands, Lucinda Brand triumphed in 2019 and since then the Dutch have made a clean sweep of the podium.<\/p>

Armistice Day<\/h3>

The race is, nearly always, held on the 11th of November and coincides with Armistice Day when the guns fell silent at the end of World War I. Or as it was known then the Great War, because no one imagined anyone would be stupid enough to repeat the exercise.<\/p>

\"6tgwpoe3q3li1vuvvmrs7n9cssoqza8jsjpd54bw4qsrctg2.jpg\"It\u2019s a holiday and Toon\u2019s fans were out to celebrate<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Unlike the UK, Armistice Day is a national holiday in Belgium and this year\u2019s event fell on Friday, 11 November 2022. Jaarmarkt means Annual Market which as the name suggests, it occurs every year. It\u2019s described by the official Niel website<\/a> as eleven days of party and fun.<\/p>

Since 2018 the race has been classified as a C1 race by the UCI, making it just one step down from a World Cup event.<\/p>

Courtesy bus<\/h3>

The first task was to make our way up to Niel which lies some 12 kilometres south of Antwerp on the bank of the river Rupel. On a bank holiday Friday, the motorways were especially quiet and we made quick work up from the Eurotunnel terminal.<\/p>

\"pkxsnp0cwnieob443iemlsszmsebrtmr4veof9g69s11umwh.jpg\"Juniors ride the moguls<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

We\u2019d read the advice on the website which declared that we should not go into the centre in our car as many of the roads would be closed. In fact, the course uses part of the N148 road which effectively shuts down much of the town.<\/p>

A pointless act of pettiness<\/p><\/blockquote>

It\u2019s usual at the big events to have to park some distance away and either walk or, as in this case, catch a courtesy busy. We\u2019d arrived at midday and the car park was virtually empty. Despite this, the parking attendant demanded we re-park at the spot of his choice. It seemed a pointless act of pettiness but we smiled and acquiesced.<\/p>

\"ftfb8l6yqqcles3gdfhqmr1bzigygkpwmafegr2tpci7b1px.jpg\"Jarkmarktcross is an excuse to party for some<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The bus was only half full with a mixed bag of elderly couples, and young families but few hard-core supporters. Within a few minutes of twisting around the lanes of Niel, we were disembarking. We paid our 15 Euro entry fee and we entered the world of Belgian cyclocross.<\/p>

Course reconnaissance<\/h3>

We\u2019d arrived just as the junior men\u2019s race was starting, and we used it as an opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the course. Like every good cross-rider, we were conducting the spectator\u2019s equivalent of a pre-ride.<\/p>

We needed to work out the best locations to watch and hopefully capture some reasonable photos. It was simple enough, we just followed the course around. The race includes a 500-metre section of tarmac that includes the start and finish (aankomst).<\/p>

A clue that we could expect some crashes<\/p><\/blockquote>

Then it drops down a steep descent, followed by an equally vertiginous uphill ride and a plunge into the Blubber Zone. The large knot of fans at this spot was a clue that we could expect some crashes.<\/p>

\"hsphuuaecyoqn6lus5y1ocs65vxhobnldj5l38eo4aquganl.jpg\"Riders hit the deck in the Blubber Zone<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Sure enough, as the riders flew down the descent into the Blubber Zone, or deep mud as we would call it, they fell like dominos. If they didn\u2019t, they then had to shoulder their bikes and run for their lives with the oozy slime desperately dragging at their feet.<\/p>

Soon the riders were off into the woods and out of our sight. We caught up with them again as they made two passes through the pits area (materiaalzone) before they traversed the Parels van Niel (the pearls of Niel). Or, in other words, the mogul section.<\/p>

\"ahkt2awnof66pw2hgraotiiy82vwhlzx9zurymuszoyvycva.jpg\"Sanne Cant in the Parels van Niel<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

This was followed by some off-camber before they flew up a steep climb, and rejoined the road followed by a 180-degree turn and the zandbak. One of the features of the course is that it runs around the outside of the Builders\u2019 Merchants Betonfabriek Coeck.<\/p>

The zandbak (sandpit) is formed using sandbags supplied by Betonfabriek Coeck who presumably supply the sand as well. It\u2019s a truly distinctive feature of the course. Once through the sand pit, the riders wiggle their way on tarmac through even more sandbags before hitting the finishing straight.<\/p>

\"igi9b5kljmgbikqd8miyohexbw9y9mqfwdgaucdtefhdjsyi.jpg\"The zandbak passes the VIP tent<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Our course reconnaissance complete, we\u2019d concluded where we wanted to watch the race but also realised that there are effectively two halves to Niel\u2019s parcours. The first is located near the entrance where the sand pit and VIP tent are also found. VIPs are essentially those people who have paid extra.<\/p>

Cyclocross VIPs<\/h3>

For 95 Euro you get continuous drinks from 2:30 pm until 6 pm, VIP parking, a big screen TV and a view over the sand pit plus hot and cold snacks from 4-6 pm. \u201cWell-kept sanitary facilities\u201d are described as a selling feature. It tells you much about sanitation around the rest of the course.<\/p>

For 165 Euro you get all that, drinks from 11:30 am, plus your own table and lunch.<\/p>

\"vg6cxnkcynlqielmxrdr2v67pzoglpo0wfevxvfomru02sfv.jpg\"Expensive water<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The area around the VIP tent is quite sedate. The non-VIPs can get more limited access to the sand pit but it\u2019s hard to get a really clear view of the riders unless you arrive early. By contrast, the other side of the course, near the materiaalzone, is where you\u2019ll find the publiekstent.<\/p>

Publiekstent - let\u2019s Party<\/h3>

The publiekstent area is somewhat less refined. The atmosphere\u2019s not so much comfortable dining as partying. And do they like to party? Oh yes, they do. Not that many people in the publiekstent seemed that bothered about the racing. They were drawn, like moths to light, by the booming music and lure of alcohol.<\/p>

Stripping to the waist and singing badly<\/p><\/blockquote>

Toon Vandebsoch fans were everywhere. Like him, they were warming up for the elite men\u2019s race. Whilst Toon used the turbo for his pre-race ritual, theirs consisted of getting drunk, stripping to the waist and singing badly at the top of their voices.<\/p>

A mixture of condensation, sweat and beer<\/p><\/blockquote>

The noise inside the tent was deafening and the air was warm and damp with a mixture of condensation, sweat and beer. But everyone seemed happily drunk. A great cheer arose as one young male was handed through the air. He valiantly clung to his beer. Beer sloshed everywhere and over everyone within spilling distance.<\/p>

\"3ddnwkswibw6brjcxysmynietu3poxs1cxkkxl1ian4nrtga.jpg\"Let\u2019s party!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

It was a relief to step outside into the fresh air again and the relative peace, although the constant boom of music continued to resonate. One young English rider, known for her love of a party, told me later that she could hear the music as she was racing. I\u2019m not sure if she was joking when she said that she was in two minds to join the fun.<\/p>

Outside the publiekstent, the queues were building for the food outlets.<\/p>

Expensive water<\/h3>

The longest queue was for the cashless cards. These are essential as they are the only means of purchasing food and drink at the race. They can be topped up with cards or cash and it\u2019s wise to get one early because the queue for them snaked around the outside of the tent. By contrast, the queues to buy food were tiny.<\/p>

Bring your own water<\/p><\/blockquote>

It\u2019s common at most Belgian cycling events to purchase some sort of cashless card or voucher which you then exchange for refreshments. Another word of warning. Bring your own water. My son made the mistake of ordering a glass of water and was charged the princely sum of five Euro. It\u2019s as expensive as beer.<\/p>

For a nation so famous for its beers, it\u2019s a real letdown<\/p><\/blockquote>

The beer was unsurprisingly disappointing too. The only good thing you can say about Jupiler is that it\u2019s not very strong. For a nation so famous for its beers, it\u2019s a real letdown.<\/p>

Renersdorp<\/h3>

Completing our tour of the course, we headed back to the VIP tent which is adjacent to the rennersdorp (riders\u2019 village). This is where all the riders are to be found when they aren\u2019t racing or pre-riding the course.<\/p>

\"e294lpr9whe8bcklnqjvgknhyaypzkally1tkm0tgzawydkv.jpg\"Laars van der Haar warms up<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

It\u2019s completely open to everyone and if you\u2019re lucky you can see the riders warming up or even chat with them. Some like Ellen van Looy are only too happy to chat whilst others only leave their motorhomes for the briefest of periods.<\/p>

My experience is that the women riders, apart from a few, are more likely to take the time to talk than their male counterparts. Many of the women seem genuinely pleased that someone is giving them attention.<\/p>

Less than equals<\/h3>

I\u2019m a self-confessed Belgophile, but I can\u2019t help but notice that in cycling, women are often treated as less than equals. It\u2019s slowly changing but once again this was evident at Niel. The rennersdorp was divided into male and female areas. The men\u2019s area was closest to the course whilst the women\u2019s was further away.<\/p>

\"qykckcmp9fmaagdtjujdvccmw9hnd1h5wtmsouycqjcji3uu.jpg\"Niamh Murphy and Amy Perryman were over for the day racing<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Not that this had been adhered to by that many riders. It tended to be a case of those with huge motor homes or even buses parked up in the \u2018male area\u2019 whilst those with more modest forms of transport were in the \u2018female area\u2019.<\/p>

Alone in a far corner of the area designated for women<\/p><\/blockquote>

Lorena Wiebes, the Dutch road racing star was making one of her occasional forays into cyclocross. The Tour de France stage winner and current European road race champion had arrived in a very ordinary-looking car. Despite her superstar status, she was parked alone in a far corner of the area designated for women.<\/p>

\"v93e2m7iyioruymhykieicnomeormbmdfsjerk2luebipnzd.jpg\"Oscar van Looy was much admired<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Once our lap of the course was complete and we\u2019d stopped to chat with a few riders and met Ellen van Looy\u2019s puppy Oscar, it was time for the action to begin.<\/p>

Kop van de Wedstrijd<\/h3>

One of the significant differences between watching elite cyclocross on TV and in person is that on the TV you only tend to see the kop van de wedstrijd (front of the race). Occasionally, the TV producer will show a replay of a rider lower down the field. You know when this happens that you\u2019ll be watching a crash.<\/p>

The only time they\u2019ll make it on TV is when they crash<\/p><\/blockquote>

I feel sorry for the riders lower down the field. The chances are, that the only time they\u2019ll make it on TV is when they crash. Seeing all the riders stream through, you can see the difference in strength, fitness and skill between the front runners and the rest.<\/p>

It really allows you to appreciate how talented the top riders are. Being so close and observing their bike control and the sheer nerve is awe-inspiring.<\/p>

Big Splits<\/h3>

The first time through and there were already big splits in the women\u2019s field. A huge pile-up had occurred just as they came off the tarmac. Most riders were delayed to some degree. Clara Honsinger looked dejected as she came through a long way behind the leaders. Her race was effectively over before it had begun.<\/p>

Alvarado was once the new young thing<\/p><\/blockquote>

The race quickly developed into a close contest between Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado and Denise Betsema. Alvarado was once the new young thing, but at the tender age of 24, she suddenly looks old in comparison to the youthful talent such as Van Anrooij, Van Empel and Pieterse.<\/p>

\"avp9okhyuzpzwizv4uo3sl0byzvrr296tyg9dkpumc79ztpp.jpg\"Cat Ferguson in a sea of sandbags<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Alvarado has suffered a turbulent couple of years with illness and injury so I was pleased to see her back to her best. She edged out Betsema by five seconds to take her first victory since February 2021.<\/p>

Cat Ferguson rode to an excellent fifteenth place<\/p><\/blockquote>

Sanne Cant was the first non-Dutch rider in fifth place. Sixteen-year-old Briton Cat Ferguson rode to an excellent fifteenth place just two places behind Clara Honsinger who had hoped for more.<\/p>

The Laars and Laurens Show<\/h3>

We barely had time to get our breath back from such an exciting race when the men were underway. The speed and power of the leading riders were at another level as they thundered into view. Their ability to surmount seemingly impossible climbs at such speed was almost shocking. Inhuman even.<\/p>

\"0fnx6o9jui5ocejwysifxncdsukf3v1okr2ydsk7jpf7mfg6.jpg\"The battle for victory<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Once again the race boiled down to a two-person duel. This time between the man on form Laurens Sweeck and Dutch champion Laars van der Haar. Since he switched to the Crelan - Fristads, Sweeck has been transformed and rarely finishes off the podium.<\/p>

Both riders took huge risks<\/p><\/blockquote>

The partisan Belgian crowd roared their hero Sweeck on. He\u2019s an extremely popular rider with the Belgian fans and it showed. The elderly lady next to me exhaled every breath in her body to scream encouragement. I\u2019d not observed such sporting emotion since ITV scrapped TV wrestling in the 1970s.<\/p>

Perhaps she\u2019d give Laurens a good whack with her handbag if he failed to deliver as was often the fate of TV wrestlers back then. At least we could be sure that this sporting contest was not fixed. Neither van der Haar nor Sweeck was giving a centimetre to their opponent.<\/p>

Sweeck is known as a sand specialist and he used his skill through the pit on the last lap to edge out a small lead over van der Haar. The advantage was never great and the Dutchman was on his heels as they plunged down the final descent. Both riders took huge risks but successfully negotiated the tricky left-hander that followed.<\/p>

Sweeck held on by three seconds to take his second victory in the Jaarmarktcross. For us, it was time to head back to the bus. We didn\u2019t plan to stay on for the after party that would continue in the publiekstent. If they\u2019d stayed sober enough to appreciate it, Toon Vandebsoch\u2019s fans would presumably be happy with his sixth place.<\/p>

Heading home<\/h3>

We bumped into one slightly, OK very, inebriated fan heading home. As he staggered along next to us we asked how he was getting home. By bike he replied. It was only 10 kilometres and he promised to take it easy. As he wobbled away and disappeared into the crowd, he waved cheerily and assured us he would be safe. He was, after all, breaking the journey with a stop at his friend\u2019s bar on the way home.<\/p>

Jarmarktcross Niel - eleven days of party and fun. One hell of a hangover.<\/p>

Women\u2019s results<\/a>.<\/p>

Men\u2019s results<\/a>.<\/p>

In part two<\/a> we\u2019re at the other end of Belgium\u2019s cyclocross scale riding the LRC Belgian Championships.<\/p>

\"7udt6dr5jdrkhcqmxqxfjeelr68yx3jye788lus6izoj2ffw.jpg\"<\/u><\/a><\/p>

\"grrbpemyywmusal5merxugim70nijvc2vqzqxpkx6vlx83lu.jpg\"NEVER MISS OUT<\/strong><\/h3>

Subscribe<\/a>\u00a0to get all our latest stories and news. We won't bombard you with special offers. We don't want to send you junk as much as you don't want to receive it.<\/p>

\"e4csubwckhg8szzln5ubes5dpwxwl5bey21wrlfbncih5zeg.jpg\"<\/u><\/a><\/p>

More Cyclocross<\/h3>

\"wp8bdenmfxywczbdfihvvqm7wuh9mrpbgtkppq0apwh2raxt.jpg\"<\/u><\/a><\/p>

\"xam2tdkzssih51rjfgteyk4hgqbypl5ywee0qxoripzsvjsv.jpg\"<\/u><\/a><\/p>","urlTitle":"whats-belgian-cyclocross-really-like","url":"\/blog\/whats-belgian-cyclocross-really-like\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/whats-belgian-cyclocross-really-like\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/blog\/whats-belgian-cyclocross-really-like\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1672746151,"updatedAt":1716912379,"publishedAt":1716912379,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":61205,"name":"Rijden_2"},"tags":[{"id":1160,"code":"cyclocross","name":"Cyclocross","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/cyclocross\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tvkwmzesnqhmrqtyoh3x0t2uyfgq4fg7jlm2ev5wgzjamo1u.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tvkwmzesnqhmrqtyoh3x0t2uyfgq4fg7jlm2ev5wgzjamo1u.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tvkwmzesnqhmrqtyoh3x0t2uyfgq4fg7jlm2ev5wgzjamo1u.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"What's Belgian Cyclocross Really Like? | Rijden","metaDescription":"We join the party at the Jaarmarktcross Niel to find out what Belgian cyclocross is really like.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":10415,"title":"Balint Hamvas, top cyclocross photographer","url":"\/blog\/the-impressionist-balint-hamvas\/","urlTitle":"the-impressionist-balint-hamvas","division":61205,"description":"We caught up with top cyclocross photographer Balint Hamvas. During an enjoyable interview, he told me about freezing in the Alps, travelling by e-bike and how he faked his way into professional photography.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hed6ed0xd68xvkqekrz04yqhwthnw7fc8apax9eqpyodq9c1.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hed6ed0xd68xvkqekrz04yqhwthnw7fc8apax9eqpyodq9c1.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10567,"title":"Ian Field part one","url":"\/blog\/ian-field-part-one\/","urlTitle":"ian-field-part-one","division":61205,"description":"Cyclocross professional turned CX coach Ian Field gives the low down on what it takes to live and race cyclocross in Belgium. Part one: \"Come home when you're broke\".","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/z0esxhm8ptynkd2ccmx2d0j6vhz1ahl1o7kheqjmiwaqppei.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/z0esxhm8ptynkd2ccmx2d0j6vhz1ahl1o7kheqjmiwaqppei.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10597,"title":"Ian Field, multiple cyclocross champion part two","url":"\/blog\/ian-field-part-2\/","urlTitle":"ian-field-part-2","division":61205,"description":"Cyclocross professional turned CX coach Ian Field continues his tale of living and racing cyclocross in Belgium.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ow36svb5jriv2vpimfugw8badnngxxynpxsy14eymngsr9z5.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ow36svb5jriv2vpimfugw8badnngxxynpxsy14eymngsr9z5.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}