Van Empel, Alvarado, Nys, and Sweeck will not compete on Sunday: "Training kilometers ahead of the Christmas period"

National coach Gerben de Knegt witnessed it happen last year in Val di Sole and now in Cabras. The enthusiasm for the distant Italian cyclo-cross - especially in combination with Dublin last weekend - is low, stated the press release. De Knegt understands the choices of many riders, who choose to schedule a training camp instead of the expensive and logistically demanding trip to Italy. "The nine names are the sum of all the phone calls I made to inquire who wants to compete. Those who don't ride may miss a World Cup race, but at the same time, this is also a weekend with only one cyclo-cross. Towards the busy Christmas period and the championships, many athletes invest one more time in training kilometers on the road."

The absence of some top riders provides opportunities for others. For example, young, talented cyclo-cross riders Bloeme Kalis and Pem Hoefmans can show themselves in Sardinia. "They can gain World Cup experience and score UCI points and are investing in their cyclo-cross future by doing so," said De Knegt, who appreciates both ladies putting their time, money, and energy into this race. At the same time, he also understands the riders who choose not to travel to Italy.

The Dutch selection in Cabras consists of the following riders:

Elite Men:

Elite Women:

While the Netherlands only has a few riders, the Belgians choose differently. They will 'just' go with full list of contenders. World Cup leader Michael Vanthourenhout, number two Eli Iserbyt, and number three Toon Aerts will be present in Sardinia on Sunday. Thibau Nys and Laurens Sweeck, on the other hand, will not be there. Nys, for example, is in Calpe with his road team, Lidl-Trek.

The Belgian selection in Cabras consists of the following riders:

Women's Elite:

Men's Elite: