Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Cycling News
Cycling News
Sport
Dani Ostanek

How to watch Mathieu van der Poel's cyclocross comeback: World Cup Zonhoven live streams

Mathieu van der Poel will be in action at the UCI World Cup in Zonhoven.

Watch World Cup Zonhoven today to see Mathieu van der Poel make his highly-anticipated return to cyclocross, with free live streams available across the world.

It's a double-header in the World Cup this weekend, with Round 6 in Zonhoven on Sunday 22 December coming the very next day to Round 5 in Hulst.

Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven key information

• Date: 22 December, 2024

• Timings: Women Elite at 13:30, Men Elite at 15:10

Free streams: UCI YouTube, Sporza, NPO Start (Netherlands)

• Broadcasters:  Flobikes (US) / Discovery+ (UK)

Watch anywhere: Try NordVPN, 100% risk-free

All eyes will be on Mathieu van der Poel as the world champion makes his long-awaited return to cyclocross in this race. Elsewhere, the packed men's field should include the likes of Michael Vanthourenhout, Eli Iserbyt, Toon Aerts, Laurens Sweeck, Felipe Orts, Thibau Nys, and Lars van der Haar.

In the women's race, look out for top names such as Pieterse, Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado, Lucinda Brand, Fem Van Empel, Zoe Backstedt, Annemarie Worst, Blanka Vas, Marie Schreiber, and Inge van der Heijden.

Read on for all the information on how to watch the Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven online, on TV, and from anywhere.

How to watch cyclocross: Live streams, TV channels, schedule for 2024/25 season

Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven free streams

You can watch Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven for free in many parts of the world. 

The UCI, which runs the sport and the World Cup series, has a free stream on its UCI YouTube channel. Coverage is geo-restricted, so it won't be available in certain countries, including the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.

The Zonhoven World Cup is also going out live on free-to-air Belgian broadcaster VRT, under the Sporza brand. A live stream is available on the VRT Max streaming platform. 

Likewise, over the border in the Netherlands, home of Van der Poel, there will be a live stream from Dutch public broadcaster NOS on the NPO Start free streaming platform.

If you’re away from home and not able to access your free stream, you can still watch the races, by using a VPN - more on that below.

Watch Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven from anywhere

If you are outside of your home region and need to access your live streaming services to watch the action, you may find your access to be geo-restricted. But that doesn't mean you can't watch the races. 

In this case, a VPN will come in handy. A Virtual Private Network – to give it its full name – allows your computer to pretend it's in a different country, letting you log into your streaming accounts to catch all of the racing action.

Our expert colleagues at TechRadar recommend using a VPN for streaming as well as enhanced cyber-security – they know a thing or two about VPNs and right now they rate NordVPN as the best VPN on the market. 

Watch Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven live streams in the US

Fans in the US can watch Mathieu van der Pol in the Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven on Flobikes.

Subscriptions cost $29.99 a month or $149.99 for the year if you fancy the road races Flobikes will show in 2025.

Bad news for US fans who've watched previous rounds of the World Cup for free: the UCI YouTube live stream is geo-blocked in the US for the Zonhoven World Cup.

Watch Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven in Canada

As in the US, Flobikes will broadcast the UCI World Cup Zonhoven cyclocross race.

FloBikes subscription is priced at CAN$29.99 a month or CAN$150 a year.

Like in the US, fans in Canada will be blocked out of the UCI YouTube free stream.

Watch Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven live streams in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch the Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven on Eurosport 2 and Discovery+

Eurosport is the television channel available on most pay-TV packages, while Discovery+ is the online streaming platform that hosts Eurosport’s cycling coverage. 

A 'standard' subscription to Discovery+ costs £6.99 / €4.99 per month or £59.99 / €49.99 per year. 

Fans in the UK get access to all the cyclocross coverage this way, but it does mean they're locked out of the UCI's free stream on YouTube.

If you're travelling outside the UK and want your Eurosport commentary, or if you're visiting the UK and want access to your home stream, you'll need to use a VPN, such as NordVPN.

Watch Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven around the world

Across Europe, you can watch Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven on Eurosport, Discovery+, and Max. Discovery+ and Max are the two streaming platforms for Eurosport's coverage – which one you have to use will vary depending on your location. Check your region for details on plans and pricing. 

We've mentioned the free live streams available on VRT Max (Belgium) and NPO Play (Netherlands), but the race will also be shown live by TV2 in Denmark, L'Equipe TV in France, STVR in Slovakia, CT Sport in the Czech Republic, MTVA in Hungary, and J Sports in Japan.

In the countries where there is no broadcast deal, the UCI's YouTube free stream will be available to watch. The following countries are where it is geo-blocked - everywhere else, it will work. Don't forget, you can tune in from anywhere if you're on the move, by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.

UCI YouTube feed geo-blocked areas:

*Albania, Andorra, Antartica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Caribbean Netherlands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Dominica, Dominicam Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe,Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan (only for men elite), Kazakstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Norway, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Saba, St Barthélémy, St helena, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Spitsbergen, St Martin, St Pierre et Miquelon, Suriname, Switzerland, The Azores, The Canary Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkish Rep N Cyprus, Turkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Urugay, Venezuela, Wallis & Futuna.

Cylocross World Cup Zonhoven timings and schedule

Men Junior: 9.30am CET / 8.30am GMT / 4.30am ET

Women Junior: 10.30am CET / 9.30am GMT / 5.30am ET

Men U23: 12.00pm CET / 11.00am GMT / 6.00am ET

Women Elite: 1.40pm CET / 12.40pm GMT / 7.40am ET

Men Elite: 3:10pm CET / 2:10pm GMT / 9.10am ET

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.