Our cycling news summary, leading off with a checkin on a cyclocross season that practically serves up a new winner every weekend. Plus: La Vuelta plants 1,000 trees in Navarre, Red Bull-BORA pioneers PIV aerodynamic testing, Chris Froome departs Israel-Premier Tech, Greg Van Avermaet wins Ironman 70.3 worlds, and Pinarello becomes Q36.5’s title sponsor with Tom Pidcock aboard.
TOP STORY:
- Cyclocross Serves Up Parity as Nieuwenhuis & Nys Nab Weekend Races
RACE NEWS
- La Vuelta Plants 1,000 Trees
RIDER & TEAM NEWS
- Red Bull Pioneers PIV Testing in Cycling
- Change Is Afoot at IPT — Including a Departing Chris Froome
- Greg Van Avermaet isn’t Finished Yet
- Q36.5 Adds Pinarello as Title Sponsor
The 2025-2026 cyclocross season has delivered a pre-Thanksgiving smorgasbord of results in the absence of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. This weekend’s racing demonstrated that multiple riders are capable of victory—and that form remains unpredictable in the sand and the mud.
Saturday: Nieuwenhuis Masters Merksplas
Joris Nieuwenhuis produced one of the few emphatic results of the season at Saturday’s Superprestige round in Merksplas, recovering from a crash and mechanical before riding away from an elite lead group to win convincingly. Once he hit the front in the closing laps, no one could match his speed through the sand or his composure on the technical sectors. Niels Vandeputte claimed second with Emiel Verstrynge third.
For Belgian champion Thibau Nys, the day brought disappointment. Prior to the race pundits raced doubts about the Nys’ ability to ride through deep sand — doubts that Nys shrugged off. Alas: the sand was his downfall — though he never actually fell down; he simply, predictably struggled on Saturday’s sand-rich course.
Sunday: Nys Rebounds in Hamme Thriller
Twenty-four hours later, Nys delivered the perfect response. He claimed a symbolic victory at the Flandriencross in Hamme, taking his first win in the Belgian champion’s jersey after holding off British champion Cameron Mason in a gripping, tactical battle through difficult, gluey conditions.
However, the day’s most remarkable performance may have come from Nieuwenhuis, who recovered from last place to secure third after crashing in the opening corner and restarting with bike trouble. His comeback from the very back of the field to the podium underscored both his current form and the unpredictable nature of cyclocross.
The Season’s Emerging Story
Through the opening six weeks, the men’s elite field has produced a refreshing variety of winners. Nieuwenhuis has claimed multiple victories and leads the X2O Trofee series. Michael Vanthourenhout has podiumed in six races. Nys won the Koppenbergcross and now Hamme. Toon Aerts claimed the European title. Laurens Sweeck broke through at Superprestige Niel.
With Van der Poel and Van Aert expected to debut sometime between the World Cup on November 23 in Tábor and Christmas, the question becomes whether this competitive balance can survive their arrival. When the stars return, they’ll find a field that’s race-hardened, but lacking a single, dominant rider, that field seems likely to succumb to van Aert, and especially to van der Poel once again.
This could soon be the view for the rest of the ‘cross field.
RACE NEWS
La Vuelta Plants 1,000 Trees
La Vuelta and Land Life have wrapped up the second edition of their ‘Mountain Passes and Forests’ campaign, planting 1,000 native trees at Sendaviva Nature Park in Navarre with help from 180 local schoolchildren.
The environmental education day brought kids aged 4-12 from CEIP Sancho Ramírez in Arguedas to plant holm oak, mastic tree, and juniper seedlings in areas damaged by the 2022 wildfire. Each youngster planted their own tree while learning about forest restoration and biodiversity through hands-on activities.
The initiative planted 100 trees for each of the first 10 stages of the 2025 Vuelta, with Arguedas hosting Stage 10. It’s part of La Vuelta es Más, the race’s social responsibility program aimed at creating positive environmental impact in host regions.
“La Vuelta has always been tied to the land and to those who inhabit it,” said race director Javier Guillén. “Each stage crosses unique landscapes that form part of our country’s collective memory.”
Following last year’s successful planting at Picón Blanco in Burgos, the project continues La Vuelta’s commitment to preserving the iconic landscapes that define the Spanish Grand Tour. Avianca supported the effort through funds raised via its EcoCup program.
TEAM & RIDER NEWS
Red Bull Pioneers PIV Testing in Cycling
Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, Specialized, and LaVision have conducted groundbreaking aerodynamic testing using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) at England’s Catesby Aero Research Facility—a decommissioned railway tunnel.
The test employed PIV technology, previously used primarily in Formula 1. Millions of microscopic helium bubbles were illuminated with green lasers to visualize air movement around cyclists and equipment in real-time. This approach reveals not just whether changes improve speed, but why they work.
Dan Bigham, Head of Engineering at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, described the technology as enabling teams to see beneath the surface of aerodynamics. The captured data validates Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models—virtual simulations that predict aerodynamic drag.
The experiments required over 100 runs at identical speed, position, and line through the laser-illuminated tunnel. Both bicycles and riders were coated in matte material to prevent reflections, and participants wore laser safety goggles.
The Catesby Tunnel’s constant temperature and absence of wind or gradient changes provided ideal conditions for precise measurements.
This marks the first time professional cycling has achieved such detailed visualization of airflow around riders. The integrated system combining CFD, wind tunnel testing, track data, and real-world racing enables unprecedented analysis of performance and positioning.
The fundamental research will shape development processes at both organizations for years, representing a new era in cycling performance optimization.
Change Is Afoot at IPT — Including a Departing Chris Froome
Israel-Premier Tech officially confirmed Friday that Chris Froome will not race for the team in 2026, likely marking the end of the four-time Tour de France winner’s professional career.
The announcement came via Instagram as the team prepares for a major transformation, including a new name and potential Swiss license with a Swiss title sponsor. The team thanked departing riders, including Froome, Pascal Ackermann, and retired cyclist Michael Woods.
At 40 years old, Froome faces slim prospects of finding another team. He hasn’t delivered meaningful results since 2022 and hasn’t competed in a Grand Tour since that year’s Vuelta a España. His final race was likely the 2025 Tour de Pologne, cut short after brutal injuries ended his season prematurely.
Despite signing a five-year contract with Israel-Premier Tech, Froome’s racing schedule dwindled in recent seasons. The British cyclist’s career, which includes four Tour de France victories, appears destined to conclude without the fanfare his achievements warranted.
The team will go offline Saturday, November 15, before unveiling its new identity for the 2026 season.
Greg Van Avermaet Isn’t Finished Yet
Former Olympic and Paris-Roubaix winner Greg Van Avermaet added another win to his palmares last week: the Ironman 70.3 world crown in the 40-44 age group category. For the Belgian cycling legend, who retired in 2023 after nearly two decades in the professional peloton (PEZ talked with Greg here), it represents the latest achievement in a remarkably active post-retirement journey.
Van Avermaet’s preparation included a training stint with Mathieu van der Poel. “I’m qualified for the 2026 World Championships in Nice, and I might very well take that opportunity,” he said. “In any case, my goal is to gradually phase out my competitive riding and continue only recreationally. I’m getting on in years.”
“GVA” initially envisioned two more years competing at the highest level, particularly in gravel racing, but the reality has proven challenging. “With my busy schedule, it’s not easy to perform at a high level,” he told WielerFlits. “Trying to win actual races is quite difficult, but a top 10 finish in the UCI Gravel Series is still within reach.”
Looking ahead, Van Avermaet is exploring a possible return to cycling in a different capacity, though his parameters are clear. “Maybe I’d like to do something in racing, yes. I’m eager to share my experience.”
For now, the former Paris-Roubaix winner continues charting his own course—one world championship at a time.
Thanks to Wielerflits for this content.
Q36.5 Adds Pinarello as Title Sponsor
Pinarello has announced a new partnership with the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, marking the first time the iconic Italian brand will serve as a team’s title sponsor. From January 1, 2026, the team will officially race under the name “Pinarello – Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team.”
The new partnership also celebrates a renewed collaboration between Pinarello and Tom Pidcock — Olympic and World Champion in Cross-Country Mountain Bike, World Champion in Cyclo-Cross, Tour de France stage winner, and Vuelta a España podium finisher.
Pinarello has worked closely with Pidcock since his early days, developing the Dogma XC and Crossista models that he rode to Olympic and World Championship victories.
Fausto Pinarello, President of Cicli Pinarello, said: “This partnership is more than a sponsorship – it’s a shared vision,” said “We’re proud to take this step and bring the Pinarello name back to the front of the peloton as Title Sponsor. Together with Q36.5, we’ll continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in cycling.”
Tom Pidcock added: “I’m really happy to be back on Pinarello full time. It genuinely feels like coming home. I’ve always loved riding their bikes, and over the years, I’ve built such a strong relationship with the brand. It’s the perfect reunion.”
Check out PEZ’ previous insights into Pinarello, Q36.5, and cycling’s luxury brands here: https://pezcyclingnews.com/features/cycling-is-it-the-anti-luxury-brand/
Watch the PEZ YOUTUBE Channel here
A somber step away from cycling: the Last Post Ceremony at MENIN Gate
• Gotta Comment, thought or suggestion? Drop us a line at Content@PezCyclingNews.com
Follow PEZ INSTAGRAM here
The post EUROTRASH: ‘Cross Season Checkin: Parity Reigns appeared first on PezCycling News.
