Last Sunday, twelve thousand cyclocross enthusiasts crowded the slopes of the Namur Citadel to witness the seasonal debut of Mathieu van der Poel and the thrilling battle against Nys and company. If tickets in Namur sold out quickly, what will happen today when the first duel between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel arrives?

Every organizer hopes to have at least one of the two great champions racing, but having both is truly a great coup, because there will be a guarantee of a full house. If we also consider the constant rise of Thibau Nys, the race could turn into a three-way challenge and the audience would increase even further.

"Organizing cyclocross is always fun, especially at the beginning of the Christmas holidays," said Tomas Van Den Spiegel, CEO of Flanders Classics, smiling. "But it's even more fun when all the best cyclists in the world show up. Not just the best cyclocross cyclists, but the world of cycling in general. People are a bit in withdrawal from races at this time, and it's logical that this has a huge impact on the event and ticket sales. I'm not saying it makes cyclocross twice as profitable, but we're certainly satisfied."

Van Den Spiegel highlighted how Antwerp has become a stable venue for cyclocross over the years in terms of spectator numbers, always easily surpassing 10,000 paying attendees. "And in this sense, perhaps a bit less sensitive. We still expect a few more people than usual. Antwerp, regardless of the riders' names, always draws very high numbers."

It's not easy to quantify revenues in sports and in cyclocross, which can be even more difficult compared to other disciplines. "Making an exact prediction is very difficult. Cyclocross fans often decide at the last moment. But this week, we're seeing about 1,000 tickets (at €21.50 each, including pre-sale; the ticket price on the day of the event is €26) being sold every day. If it's not a record, we'll come close."

Van Den Spiegel appreciates the popularity of cyclocross with Van der Poel and Van Aert, but also looks to the future with a balanced and realistic perspective. "This sport has proven in the past that it can withstand storms multiple times. But we must leverage the momentum to improve the future of cyclocross and our organizations, making them more sustainable and creating the stars of tomorrow. Because one day Mathieu and Wout will no longer be here; they won't race forever. We hope to have a little more time, but we must be prepared. That's precisely why we are incredibly satisfied with the development of Thibau Nys and several young female talents. They must ensure a long life after Van der Poel and Van Aert."

Antwerp offers a lot of space and therefore, it will be difficult to have a sell-out, although a new attendance record is expected. The area around Sint-Annastrand is certainly not comparable to a concert hall or a football stadium, and for this reason, it will not be possible to see the "sold out" sign. Van Den Spiegel said regarding this: "Of course, it depends on the available space. For some races, it's a bit more difficult, but here in Antwerp, there's no shortage of space, and the course has even been redesigned to create more flexibility and comfort. This allows us to make the best use of the available space. We certainly won't be at maximum capacity, given the relatively easy access before and after the race. So everyone is welcome, as long as mobility guidelines are respected to a certain extent."

Considering the enormous influx of people, the sports and fitness department of the city of Antwerp has issued travel advisories, specifying that people should move as much as possible on foot, by bicycle, scooter, or with public transportation.

For the occasion, Antwerp has established a free ferry service between Steenplein pier and Linkeroever, as well as DeWaterbus. Tomas Van Den Spiegel invited the entire cycling public to the Antwerp race, recommending arriving without cars, so the show will be even better.