Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter, and consist of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike while navigating the obstruction and remount. Races for senior categories are generally between 40 minutes and an hour long, with the distance varying depending on the ground conditions. The sport is strongest in the traditional road cycling countries such as Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
Timothy Johnson is an American professional racing cyclist who has found success in cyclocross and road bicycle racing, and is one of only five male riders from the United States to stand on a UCI Cyclocross World Championships podium. Johnson has six career national championships – three Elite, two Espoir and one Junior – and a bronze medal from the UCI Cyclocross World Championships that he won in 1999 in Poprad, Slovakia. Johnson spent his 2009 road season riding for the Ouch presented by Maxxis team, of which he is the Road Captain. For 2010, Johnson rode for UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team presented by Maxxis. Johnson is divorced of fellow professional cyclist Lyne Bessette. In June 2018 Tim was named the director for development for the USA Cycling Foundation.
Georgia Gould is an American professional mountain bike and cyclocross competitor, and Olympian. She has earned five career national championships – four in cross-country mountain bike in 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2012, and one in short track mountain bike in 2009. In 2012, Gould won the bronze medal at the London Olympic Games in cross country mountain bike. From 2006-2016 Gould was employed by the LUNA Pro Team. In 2012, Gould was named North American MTB Woman of the Year by VeloNews magazine. She currently resides in East Burke, Vermont with her husband, Dusty LaBarr.
Paul Herygers is a retired Belgian cyclo-cross cyclist.
Jeremy Powers is an American former professional racing cyclist, who has achieved over 90 UCI victories, four USA Cyclocross national championships, and the 2015 Pan American Championship during his career. He was a presenter for Global Cycling Network before joining WHOOP.
Yves Lampaert is a Belgian professional road racing cyclist, who rides for UCI WorldTeam Soudal–Quick-Step.
Thomas Pidcock is a British cyclist who competes in the cyclo-cross, mountain bike and road bicycle racing disciplines of the sport for the Swiss Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. Prior to his release in December 2024, he rode for UCI WorldTeam Ineos Grenadiers.
Inge van der Heijden is a Dutch professional racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Women's WorldTeam Fenix–Deceuninck in road cycling, and in cyclo-cross for UCI Cyclo-cross Team 777.
Clara Honsinger is a former American professional cyclist who last rode for UCI Women's Continental Team EF Education–Tibco–SVB in road racing, and Team S&M in cyclo-cross.
Niels Vandeputte is a Belgian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Alpecin–Deceuninck Development Team. He won the prestigious Under-23 Duinencross Koksijde in 2019.
Cameron Mason is a British cyclist, who competes in cyclo-cross, gravel, road racing and mountain bike. He currently races for UCI cyclo-cross team The Cyclocross Reds and is part of the development Alpecin-Deceunick WorldTour Team on the road. His most notable achievement was coming 2nd in the men's elite race at the UEC European Cyclo-cross Championships in Pontchâteau, France in November 2023. He previously rode from 2019-2023 for Trinity Racing. He also runs a YouTube channel where he documents his races and the cyclocross scene.
Fem van Empel is a Dutch professional racing cyclist. In January 2021, she won the women's under-23 race at the 2021 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. During the 2022–2023 season she won the women's elite race at the World Championships and the European Cyclo-cross Championships. On 22 January 2023, she secured overall victory at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup (2022–23). On 16 Feb 2023 at Brussels, Fem clinched the X20 Badkamers Trophy. The previous week, her first race in the World Champions jersey, competing in the X20 Badkamers at Lille she finished 1st doing a "Pidcock" across the finish line. In the cyclo cross season 2023 to 2024 Fem Van Empel was first in her first eleven races. Having finished the previous season with five successive firsts, it brought her run of first places in top level Cyclocross to sixteen. Fem Van Empel retained her UCI World Championship at Tábor on 3 February 2024. One respected commentator noted he had "run out of superlatives to describe Fems phenomenal talent", calling her "The Golden Girl of Cyclocross". Another described her performance as " pretty much perfection" . "Velo" noted that "her 18th victory out of what has been a 20-race season" is "a staggering success rate " .Fem completed her 2023 to 2024 season with a win to take the X²O Badkamers Trophy at Lille on 11 Feb. This took her number of wins for the season to 19 from 21 races. At the end of season 2023 to 2024 Fems' career total number of Elite level Cyclo-cross race wins was 37.
Shirin van Anrooij is a Dutch professional racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Women's WorldTeam Lidl–Trek. and UCI Cyclo-Cross Pro Team Baloise Trek Lions. She is the current under 23 UCI Cyclo-cross World Champion.
Jane Zoe Bäckstedt is a Welsh professional racing cyclist riding for UCI Women's World Tour Team Canyon–SRAM zondacrypto, competing across road, cyclo-cross and track racing disciplines.
Maghalie Rochette is a Canadian cyclist, who specializes in cyclo-cross. Since 2020, Rochette has hosted the bilingual (French/English) podcast Fever Talk, featuring candid conversations highlighting the passion that drives people to succeed in sport and beyond. In 2023, Rochette collaborated with fellow professional cyclist Lucinda Brand to create the cycling-focused podcast Dirty Talks.
Joran Wyseure is a Belgian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Alpecin–Deceuninck Development Team. He won the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross Under-23 World Championships.
Emiel Verstrynge is a Belgian cyclist, who currently rides UCI Continental team Alpecin–Deceuninck Development Team. He won the silver medal at the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross Under-23 World Championships.
The calendar for the 2022–2023 men's and women's cyclo-cross season includes cyclo-cross races starting on 13 August 2022, and ending in February 2023. The individual events are classified into five categories. The highest category includes the world cup events (CDM), which gives rise to a ranking. Behind them, we find the C1 and C2 category races, which award points are for the world ranking, then the races reserved for those under 23, also called hopes and finally the races for juniors. There are also national championships (NC) which are organized in about thirty countries.
The calendar for the 2023–2024 men's and women's cyclo-cross season includes cyclo-cross races starting on 19 August 2023, and ending in February 2024. The individual events are classified into five categories. The highest category includes the world cup events (CDM), which gives rise to a ranking. Behind them, we find the C1 and C2 category races, which award points are for the world ranking, then the races reserved for those under 23, also called hopes and finally the races for juniors. There are also national championships (NC) which are organized in about thirty countries.
Ava Holmgren is a Canadian professional racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Women's WorldTour Team Lidl–Trek. Her twin sister Isabella and brother Gunnar are also professional cyclists.
Nick Van De Kerckhove (BEL)
Mathieu van der Poel (NED)(3 wins)
