The countdown to the Cyclocross World Championships has begun in Ostend and in 100 days the world's strongest cyclocrossists will face off on the beach.

From January 29 to 31, 2027, athletes from around the world will compete for the rainbow jerseys across the hippodrome, city, and seafront. For the first time, the program will also include the Belgian Championships for athletes with intellectual disabilities and autism.

As mentioned, from January 29, 2027, Ostend will host three days of racing for an event that aims to transform the Flemish coast into a major popular celebration. The UCI World Championships will conclude on Sunday, January 31; the city previously hosted the championship in 2021, when the pandemic forced races without spectators and with a reduced program.
The countdown began on the seafront during an event at the Thermae Palace Hotel, in the heart of the world championship course. The ceremony was attended by Flemish Sports Minister Annick De Ridder and Tourism Alderman Niko Geldhof. "It's not just a date on the calendar, but a celebration of our sporting heritage and our cycling DNA," De Ridder said.

The course, approximately 3.4 kilometers long, promises an unusual setting: hippodrome, beach, urban center, and historic sites of the city. Two bridges over the tram tracks will connect the ACEG Wellington Hippodrome area to the beach, where two sand hills will be built. A long staircase will then guide riders toward the finish area.

For Ostend, this is another opportunity to welcome the world championship audience: the 2021 edition was held behind closed doors and it will have been eleven years since the last world championship in Belgium open to spectators, organizers note. Mayor John Crombez is betting on the appeal of the course: "The world's best riders will compete for the title along a unique course that combines the sea, beach, urban center, and historic heritage."

The first day will feature a special event. On Friday, January 29, after the Worlds team relay, the Belgian Cyclocross Championships for athletes with intellectual disabilities and autism will take place. The race will be held at the hippodrome, within the framework of the world championship event.

"Athletes who practice sport with disabilities want to compete in a professional context: that's what they will find here," said Steven Van Beylen, director of G-sport Vlaanderen. For Belgian Cycling, the choice to pair the two events is a concrete way of recognizing the place of inclusive sport in major competitions.

Ostend's schools will also be involved. Students will be able to participate in a dedicated race and a contest to design a trophy: the winning project will be created and presented to the winning team of the relay during the awards ceremony.

Organizers are also working on two fan zones, with entertainment and local food offerings. The goal is to make the event come alive not just along the circuit: for those arriving by train, the route to the heart of the Worlds will pass through the seafront and team areas.

Ostend is thus preparing for three days of cyclocross, sand, and spectators. The countdown, this time, has begun with open stands and an additional race, designed to expand the meaning of the celebration.