Fears have been raised {that a} part of the 2026 World Cyclocross Championships course is ‘harmful’ after Cat Ferguson crashed out and was taken to hospital.
Saturday’s World Cup spherical at Hulst used round 60% of the 2026 championships course and supplied two dramatic occasions.
The course on the Dutch-Belgian border is anticipated to draw a big crowd attributable to its place and the prospect that Mathieu van der Poel might break tie Roger De Vlaeminck’s report of seven world titles.
The World Cup threw up shock winners as Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck Growth Group) and Marie Schreiber (SD Worx-Protime) led their respective races from begin to end.
Schreiber had issues herself and was pressured to run the treacherous downhill part, whereas others crashed behind.
Highway junior world champion Ferguson got here off worst of the numerous fallers and was taken to hospital after crashing closely.
Her Moviestar Group posted on social media that “Cat Ferguson suffered a heavy fall on the 2nd lap of the cyclo-cross World Cup occasion held in Hulst (Netherlands). She was taken to the hospital for medical examination.”
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Total elite males’s chief Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) additionally got here down closely twice on the identical descent in consecutive laps and went on to complete seventh.
Former two-time European Champion and 10-time British champion, Helen Wyman, questioned the security of the part within the moist.
Talking on Eurosport she mentioned, “Generally we now have discussions about whether or not a descent like that needs to be in a cyclocross World Cup.
“A cyclocross course is made in a approach that it’s appropriate for all weathers. You do have the choice to run, it’d sound controversial but when it’s that harmful then you possibly can run.
“Equally ought to a descent that it’s important to run be in a World Cup course? Is it harmful? Sure it may be.
“You may run then you definately take your self out of hazard. There are some programs the place you possibly can’t run them after which it makes the game look ridiculous.”
Organiser Kurt Vernimmen mentioned that the course would change from Saturday’s World Cup spherical to accommodate extra spectators for the 2026 World Championships.
“The World Cup course might be 60% much like that of subsequent Saturday’s World Cup race, and the remaining 40% might be utterly new,” he advised Wielerflits.
“Thankfully, the municipality of Hulst has purchased a brand new piece of land of seven hectares on the opposite facet of the water.
“At a World Cup you’ve to have the ability to set up for 50,000 folks, after which we had been actually too restricted with the present course. These 22,000 spectators final 12 months was the utmost we are able to do.
“We now have a VIP tent for 1,100 folks, however with a World Championship, you continue to have to have the ability to obtain 4,500 VIPs. This new terrain permits us to create area.”
Van der Poel has received in Hulst six occasions, however final season a fan spat on the cyclocross star and others booed.
Vernimmen mentioned that in response to the incident, there are further safety and stewards.
Nevertheless, Van der Poel has determined towards beginning his ‘cross season on residence floor on the Dutch course and as an alternative begins at Zonhoven the next day.
“We reached out to his administration ourselves,” Vernimmen advised Idlprocycling.
“We hope it has nothing to do with final 12 months’s incident. We might do every thing to stop that from occurring once more.
“Mathieu has received right here six occasions, and we’ve at all times had a superb relationship with him. He even met his girlfriend right here, so we had been form of upset that he received’t begin right here. However there should be a purpose for it.
“That was an unlucky coincidence that we couldn’t management. We distanced ourselves from it and stood up for the riders. It should have been for different causes.
“If he (Van der Poel) turns into world champion in Liévin, he’ll tie Roger De Vlaeminck’s report, after which he might win his eighth title in Hulst, making him the only report holder.”
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