After only about six months, it is excellent to return to Europe to shoot the finale of the important cyclocross calendar. The World Cup final takes place in Hoogerheide, NL the week prior to the World Championships. This year, worlds are located in Tabor, Czech Republic. It isn’t a trivial travel week, but neither is flying to the East Coast.

Hoogerheide features five races, two junior, a men’s U23, and the elite races. I didn’t have many responsibilities for the first three races, so I took the opportunity to walk around and find some spots. This includes the famous “Stairway to Heaven”. It is a pretty iconic feature of an otherwise power based course. You always know when the leader is approaching this area because the commentator proclaims “THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN!” It is pretty entertaining.

The elite races turned out how most would have expected. Fem van Empel took the W for the women, and MVDP took it for the men. Both were great races though, especially the women. van Empel took the lead through the stairs after moving up from third. It was a technical masterclass that shapes up nicely for Tabor.

MVDP stayed in the wheels most of the race and made his move in the last few laps. It was a solid tune up for the next week, but if we are being honest, this race (and the next) was really for the minor podium places. Either way, it is always a treat to watch these races.

Next up: Tabor World Championships!