Gear & Grit Daily: December 08, 2025
Today's cycling news: Pieterse and Del Grosso join Van der Poel for CX debuts at Namur World Cup, “It shouldn’t be a taboo. It belongs in the sport”: Lotte K...
Welcome back to Gear & Grit, where the cyclocross season is heating up faster than your post-ride espresso. Today's newsletter brings you the news everyone's been waiting for: Mathieu van der Poel is finally making his CX debut at Namur this weekend, and he won't be alone—Puck Pieterse is jumping back into the mud too.
But it's not all about the stars returning to form. We're diving into Lotte Kopecky's crucial conversation about menstruation in pro cycling, plus recapping the drama from Terralba's sandy World Cup course where emotions ran high and elastic finally snapped. Let's roll.
⚡ Quick Hits
- Brand and Vanthourenhout win on new CX World Cup course at Terralba, Sardinia: Brand and Vanthourenhout win at new UCI CX World Cup course in Sardinia after previous cancellation.
- [UPDATE] Amsterdam mulls over 'fat bike' ban — but will tyre width restriction really help protect city's famous bike lanes from threat of illegally modified e-bikes?: Amsterdam considers tire-width restrictions to combat illegally modified e-bikes threatening city bike lanes.
- 3 Surprising Takeaways from Pogačar’s Tour de France Fuel Plan That Could Help You at Home: Pogačar's Tour fueling strategy offers practical nutrition lessons for amateur cyclists.
- Are cyclists in Scotland any closer to being able to submit dangerous driving footage to an online police portal?: Scottish cyclists await online dangerous driving reporting portal after years of delays.
- [UPDATE] “Zig zag lines, parallel crossing, I have no idea what any of it means”: Cyclists call for “regular compulsory retests” for motorists after driver ignores bike crossing; Onley/Ineos rumours; Bouhanni’s fast marathon; ‘Cross glamour + more on the live blog: Live blog covering road safety advocacy, team transfers, and cycling culture updates.
- [UPDATE] Giant to move US HQ to Boulder in 2026: Giant relocates US headquarters to Boulder, signaling strategic shift in operations.
- Do you practice MTB skills when you’re not on the trail?: Community survey on off-trail mountain bike skills practice habits and methods.
- Councillor raising funds for legal battle against congestion charge… by cycling: UK councillor cycles to fundraise for legal challenge against Oxford congestion charge.
📊 By The Numbers
- 6,000 calories: Pogačar's monstrous daily fuel intake during Tour de France
- 120km per week: Distance cycled on fixie during 30-day commuting challenge
- Sunday 14 December: Date of Namur World Cup featuring Van der Poel's debut
📰 Today's Big Stories
Pieterse and Del Grosso join Van der Poel for CX debuts at Namur World Cup
Star-Studded CX Debuts Set for Namur World Cup
The UCI Cyclocross World Cup's December 14th stop in Namur just got a major boost: Puck Pieterse and Tibor del Grosso will join Mathieu van der Poel in making their season debuts at the Belgian venue. The trio's simultaneous arrival transforms the fourth round into one of the season's most anticipated races.
Why it matters: Van der Poel's CX season opener always draws massive attention, but adding two more top-tier talents to the mix elevates Namur from a regular World Cup round to must-watch racing. For fans, it's a rare chance to see multiple stars hitting race speed simultaneously—expect fireworks as they shake off the rust and test their early-season form against the established World Cup leaders who've been racing since October.
“It shouldn’t be a taboo. It belongs in the sport”: Lotte Kopecky pushes to remove shame around menstruation in cycling
Kopecky Tackles Period Taboo in Pro Cycling
Two-time world champion Lotte Kopecky is calling out the sport's silence around menstruation, urging male coaches to educate themselves on how periods affect performance. The Belgian star says it's time to normalize these conversations in the peloton, insisting that understanding menstrual cycles "belongs in the sport" and shouldn't be treated as taboo.
Why it matters: Hormonal fluctuations impact everything from power output to recovery, yet many riders still hesitate to discuss periods with coaches and staff. Kopecky's push for openness could help teams optimize training and racing schedules around menstrual cycles—a performance advantage already explored in other sports. Breaking the stigma means better support for female athletes and smarter coaching decisions. As she puts it: if you're coaching women, understanding their physiology "is part of the job."
Cyclocross World Cup: Dazzling Last Lap Burst Sees Vanthourenhout Finally Snap Elastic to Win
Vanthourenhout Breaks Away on Final Lap for World Cup Victory
Former European champion Michael Vanthourenhout delivered a perfectly timed attack on the last lap to finally drop his key rival and claim victory at the Cyclocross World Cup. The flat, fast course produced a tactical battle that stayed tight until Vanthourenhout's decisive burst shattered the elastic in the closing minutes.
Why It Matters: This win showcases the razor-thin margins in elite cyclocross, where races often come down to who can deliver that final explosive effort when it counts most. Vanthourenhout's patience and tactical discipline—waiting until the last lap rather than burning matches early—is a masterclass in race execution that resonates whether you're battling for a World Cup podium or your local CX series.
Cyclocross World Cup: An Emotional Brand Blitzes Rivals in Sardinian Sand
Brand Dominates Sardinian Sand
Dutch cyclocross star Lucinda Brand delivered another commanding performance at the World Cup round in Sardinia, powering through the challenging sandy course to claim victory. The win extends her exceptional form this season, leaving rivals struggling to match her pace in the technical conditions that defined the Mediterranean race.
Why It Matters: Brand's continued dominance significantly strengthens her position in both the overall World Cup standings and as a favorite for the upcoming world championships. Her ability to excel in varied conditions—particularly the energy-sapping sand that punished many competitors—demonstrates the complete form that makes her the rider to beat. For cyclocross fans, this sets up an increasingly compelling narrative heading into the season's biggest races, with Brand emerging as the clear benchmark for the women's field.
CX gallery: An unusual new course delivers at World Cup Terralba
## World Cup CX Heads to Sardinia's Unique Course
Round three of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup landed in Terralba, Sardinia, where an unconventional course layout tested the field. Dutch rider Lucinda Brand claimed the women's victory, while Belgium's Michael Vanthourenhout took the men's race in conditions far removed from traditional muddy European CX venues.
Why it matters: The Sardinian stop signals cyclocross's continued geographic expansion beyond its Belgian and Dutch heartland. Racing on Mediterranean terrain in December challenges riders to adapt their technical skills beyond the typical mud-and-sand formula. For fans, it's a reminder that modern CX is evolving into a truly international discipline—though purists may debate whether sun-baked Sardinian courses capture the sport's gritty essence. Brand and Vanthourenhout's wins also shake up the overall World Cup standings as the season approaches its midpoint.
📺 Watch List
- I Hated Fixies So I Rode One For 30 Days: Cyclist tests fixed-gear commuting for 5 weeks to evaluate pedal stroke and fitness improvements.
