This month on CyclingUpToDate, Van Aert and Van der Poel are going back to cyclocross, Pidcock and Van Gil are moving, Pogacar and Vingegaard have new schedules, and more!

Even though it’s still very cold outside, December has begun and there is a lot to look forward to on CyclingUpToDate this month. We go over some of the important issues that will be talked about in the next few weeks.

This month is a busy one for cyclocross, with the famous Christmas block being raced by the best riders in the sport. This weekend is the Cabras World Cup in Italy, and after that, it will only be amazing courses that deliver every year. The Herentals and Namur World Cups are on December 14th and 15th, and the Hulst and Zonhoven World Cups are on December 21st and 22nd. Until December 30th, there is also the Zilvermeercross, the Gavere World Cup, the Azencross, the Besançon World Cup, and Superprestige Diegem. We will live-stream all of these races.

Also, soon, the times when the biggest names in the field will be back will be made public. Along with most other road riders who focus on the year, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel are expected to announce their racing schedules in the next few weeks. Van Aert’s plan is pretty much set, but van der Poel’s is pretty flexible, and Niels Albert even said that this could only be a three-race stretch. People like Tom Pidcock and Marianne Vos are big unknowns, and we can’t wait for the news.

Will there be more transfers?

Even though it’s late in the year, there has been a lot of talk about transfers. Maxim van Gils broke his deal with Lotto Dstny in a very surprising way. He is now a free agent and can sign with any team he wants. Astana Qazaqstan Team, Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe, and INEOS Grenadiers are the three teams that are still in the running.

The British team might have the money to do this if Tom Pidcock leaves the team, which is again a scenario that is being put forward quite strongly. Both Ciro Scognamiglio and Daniel Benson have reported that INEOS and Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team are becoming more active in this area.

A Canadian amateur rider named Jack Burke is currently in Europe on a small Tour through the Alps. He has been setting new Strava KOM times up famous hills like the Passo del Mortirollo, Passo dello Stelvio, and the Alpe d’Huez, which is another interesting story to keep an eye on. He told Wielerflits that four World Tour teams have been in touch with him. He could be a late signing for a top team with a lot of promise.

Camps for training

CyclingUpToDate will be in eastern Spain during the training camp time. Several teams will be based near the cities of Benidorm and Denia. You can expect exclusive talks with riders from UAE Team Emirates, Bahrain – Victorious, and maybe even more teams that are still being planned.

Deciding on the calendar

We can also look forward to big news at these training camps. This is what will happen with most Grand Tours riders; plans will be made and times will be set. It is certain that riders like Primoz Roglic, Tadej Pogacar, and Jonas Vingegaard will be asked about their plans for the 2025 season. But this will also include a lot of other riders.

During training camps, we usually get our first real look at what these big names in the sport will be trying to achieve this coming season. Aside from the World Championships, the UAE Tour, Milano-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España are likely to be on Pogacar’s schedule. However, it’s not clear if Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic will only focus on the Tour de France or if they might also race the Giro d’Italia. Remco Evenepoel is also a big unknown, especially after what happened today.

It’s Remco Evenepoel

Evenepoel, who has won two Olympics and is currently the world time trial king, was in an accident while training this Tuesday. The Belgian hurt his shoulder blade, ribs, and hand when he hit the opening door of a van. There are no signs of when he might be able to start training again, which brings up other problems.

Evenepoel was supposed to talk about his plans for the 2025 season at the training camp that was coming up in Spain. He should still be there, but I don’t think he’ll be on the bike. He might put off making choices about Grand Tours racing. Then, throughout December, we’ll find out how bad his injuries are and what they mean.