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Namur Cyclo-cross podium history | 2023 edition

Weather at Namur at 2:30 PM, local time: 8C (46F), cloudy, with the wind from the southwest at 19 km/he (12 mph). There is a 6% chance of rain.

Complete results: Men | Women

Namur Cyclocross course map.

The Cyclocross Namur course is renowned worldwide as one of the most beautiful and challenging cyclocross routes. Located on the iconic Citadel of Namur, it offers a versatile mix of technical climbs, cobblestone sections, and significant elevation changes. The course is filled with spectacle and technical sections, including the infamous ‘off-camber’ section making it a true test for the world’s best cyclocross riders.

Men:

I believe this makes 3 wins in a row for Michael Vanthourenhout. Photopress photo

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The race: Here's the UCI's race report.

Namur set the stage for another thrilling battle among the men. Despite a challenging start, it was the overall leader, Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), who secured the victory. Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens) and the surprising Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) completed the podium, while Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen) had to abandon the race.

Toon Aerts got off to the fastest start, entering the field in the lead. Soon, Gerben Kuypers and Kevin Kuhn, the riders from Charles Liégeois Roastery, took over at the front and set the pace.

In the second lap, Kuypers and Kuhn were still leading, with Aerts in their wheel. However, Aerts made a mistake on the off-camber section, sliding off the course. Fortunately, it wasn’t too serious, and he managed to rejoin the leaders later on.

Michael Vanthourenhout also struggled at the start but managed to bridge the gap to the front of the race by the fourth lap.

In the sixth lap, Verstrynge gained a few meters following a slip-up by Aerts and Vanthourenhout. The young talent led solo until the end of the seventh lap but was caught again at the start of the penultimate lap.

Heading into the final lap, Toon Aerts attacked on the climb, quickly building a lead of about 5 seconds over Vanthourenhout. Aerts seemed poised for his first win since his suspension, but a mistake on the off-camber section allowed Vanthourenhout to close the gap. Aerts lost his momentum and was unable to recover, leaving Vanthourenhout to take his second victory in a row after Dublin.

In the overall standings, Michael Vanthourenhout holds a solid lead over Toon Aerts and Laurens Sweeck.

Complete results:

22.3 kilometers raced at an average speed of 21.107 km/hr

Unattached riders have their nationality listed.

Women:

Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado takes the race. UCI photo

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The race: Here's the report from 7th-place Fem van Empel's Team Visma | Lease a bike.

Fem van Empel was unable to take a throw to the win in the fourth heat of the World Cup. In the first round, Van Empel made two small mistakes, forcing her to chase her competitors. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado proved to be the best in Namen.

Van Empel, who soloed to victory yesterday in Herentals, had a difficult start in Namur. In the first lap she slipped twice on the slippery course, forcing her to chase. In the laps that followed, Van Empel gave everything, but, partly due to bad luck, she could no longer play a role. The cyclocross world champion eventually fought her way to seventh place.

Fem van Empel:
“At the recon it went pretty well, and so I was very confident,” Van Empel looks back. “I was way too eager on the first lap, so I made some mistakes and lost a lot of time. I soon knew I wasn't going to compete for the prizes anymore, but I gave everything in the rounds that followed, and I look back on that with a good feeling. My condition is good, and fortunately I didn't sustain any damage from the crashes. I'm already looking forward to the upcoming crosses.”

Complete Results:

14.80 kilometers raced at an average speed of 18.389 km/hr

Unattached riders have their nationality listed.