Dutch World Cup selections for Namur known: return Pieterse, great opportunity for some U23 riders

National coach Gerben de Knegt has announced the selections for the World Cup Cyclo-cross in Namen next Sunday, December 15. Eleven men and thirteen women have been selected, and the Dutch team is expected to perform well, especially in the women's category. A remarkable absentee is (still) Joris Nieuwenhuis, while Puck Pieterse starts her cyclo-cross winter.

In a press release, the national coach explains the selection. "I think it's great for the sport to have another strong rider in cyclo-cross. Puck will find a perfect course for her so she can start there with expectations. I think the outcome of this cyclo-cross race will tell a lot about her current condition after she made a big step up on the mountain bike and the road this summer. Namur is not a course to hide, so we will understand how Puck compares to the other top riders."

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With the ladies, we will get to see a lovely quartet in action, as Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Fem van Empel, and Lucinda Brand will also be present. The Netherlands at full strength? For the women, for sure. In the men's category, Lars van der Haar and Pim Ronhaar are slowly improving this season.

We also see a lot of youngsters in the selections. This is a conscious decision, according to De Knegt. "We have that space now, and four young riders can take advantage of that. And we also have last season's U23 World Champion at the start with Tibor del Grosso. Among the women, there is a second chance for newcomer Bloeme Kalis, who traveled with several others to Sardinia for nothing because the race there was canceled by storm."