Van Aert, Van der Poel, and Pidcock will be pleased: "Cyclocross will become an Olympic sport in 2030"

The Paris Olympics have only just begun, but it was recently announced that the 2030 Winter Games will be held in the Alps. What does that have to do with cycling? At first glance, not much, one might think. However, it’s quite possible that a two-wheeled event is on the horizon, if we are to believe the information from the Belgian Olympic talk show.

Cyclocross is not an Olympic sport and is also practiced during the winter season. However, David Lappartient, who played a role in the allocation of the 2030 Winter Games to the French Alps, is said to have a big wish: to add cyclocross to the program of the winter equivalent of the Summer Games. Although there is not much information yet, circuits such as the one in Val di Sole are already present in the Alps. So, it should be quite possible to include cyclocross.

First Olympic cyclocross: the final act for Van Aert and Van der Poel?

Karl Vannieuwkerke brought up the topic on Belgian television and discussed it with Greg Van Avermaet among others. "I have some news, and it's serious. Lappartient is also a member of the IOC, and cyclocross is set to be added to the Olympic program starting with the 2030 Games in the Alps. The chance of this happening is almost 100%," said the presenter, who also mentioned that there has been collaboration with an athletics representative to make cross-country running Olympic as well.

This raises the question of who might benefit from this news. For example, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel. Both originally come from cyclocross and would have a serious chance of winning medals at the Winter Olympics. They are both already 35 years old in 2030, so it is mainly a matter of waiting for younger talents in cyclocross. Perhaps Tom Pidcock?