Lucinda Brand carries her cyclo-cross bike through a wooded section at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships.

UEC Cyclo-Cross European Championships 2026 preview – Zeddam's 100-step staircase returns for Brand, Nys and Nieuwenhuis

A renovated staircase that was too narrow for the 2006 Worlds now sits at the heart of Erwin Vervecken's course. Lucinda Brand arrives as clear favourite, while Thibau Nys and Michael Vanthourenhout renew their Koppenberg duel. Race times, live streams and how to watch.

By Peter Stuart · · 4 min read

Six European titles are decided in Zeddam this weekend on a 2.97km course through the woods of Montferland, designed by former world champion Erwin Vervecken.

The elite women race on Saturday, November 7, and the elite men close the championships a day later. Both fields will take on a renovated staircase of around 100 steps on every lap.

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Whether you're at home or abroad, here's how to watch live. Below are all the official TV channels, legitimate free streams, and what to check before using a VPN while travelling.

Race schedule

Saturday 7 November 2026

Velora
  • 11:00CET
    Junior women
  • 13:00CET
    Under-23 men
  • 15:00CET
    Elite women

Day 2 - Sunday 8 November 2026

  • Junior men: 11:00
  • Under-23 women: 13:00
  • Elite men: 15:00

Course preview

The course designed by Vervecken largely follows the route used for the 2006 World Championships with some extra climbing through the delta meadow sand pit. The stairs start after the pit and are 50m long, rise at 25 degrees and are three metres wide, with the organisers pointing out that it allows overtaking. A new 60m rider bridge then carries riders past the windmill and back towards the field.

"It is a circuit that will be hard even on firm ground because of the staircase, which will certainly take its toll towards the end," Vervecken told the KNWU. "I remember the staircase from the World Cups we raced there, and after an hour it was really punishing. But if it has rained, the rest of the course will also be selective."

Michael Vanthourenhout jumps over a barrier at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Tabor.Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com

Race favourites

Thibau Nys (Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions) comes into the race probably as the main favourite after battling through crashes to win the Koppenbergcross on November 1, when he caught Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw) before the last lap and beat him on the final climb. Vanthourenhout was second again at Middelkerke on Thursday, but Nys is the pick on a course that hurts late in the race. Home rider Joris Nieuwenhuis (Heizomat-Cube) told Wielerflits he put his 16th place on the Koppenberg down to back pain.

Lucinda Brand (Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions) is the standout favourite on the women’s side of the racing with the world champion showing excellent form by taking the win at the Koppenbergcross by almost a minute – her fourth victory this winter. Defending champion Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) and Luxembourg's Marie Schreiber (Team SD Worx-Protime), third on the Koppenberg, are her likeliest challengers. Fem van Empel (Specialized TMRW) continues her return to racing after taking a break from the sport.

How to watch the UEC Cyclo-Cross European Championships

Both elite races are live in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. The junior and under-23 races are not broadcast live, but live timing is available.

How to watch

Velora
NL flagNetherlands
Cost
Free
BE flagBelgium
Cost
Free
NL flagNetherlands
Cost
Subscription required
GB flagUnited Kingdom
Cost
£30.99 per month, or £25.99 per month on a 12-month minimum term

Legal free streams

Velora tip: Many countries offer free-to-air official coverage. Certain national broadcasters show the race live for free, entirely legally:

Using an official feed does not guarantee access abroad through a VPN. Check the broadcaster's location restrictions and terms before travelling.

Using a VPN legally while travelling

Broadcasters often limit streams to home viewers. If you're travelling, a commercial VPN routes your traffic through a server in your chosen country, not your home network; streaming access remains subject to the broadcaster's restrictions.

How to do it:

  1. Download NordVPN, our recommended VPN for streaming while travelling.
  2. Connect to your home country (for example, the Netherlands for NOS or Belgium for Sporza).
  3. Open your usual broadcaster's site or app and start watching safely.

Velora never endorses bypassing broadcast rights. A VPN should only be used to access official services, whether paid or free-to-air, while abroad.

Always use legitimate platforms. Unofficial streams often breach copyright and expose viewers to malware or fake ads.

Quick recap

  • Watch live via official broadcasters (NOS, Sporza, Eurosport/HBO Max, TNT Sports)
  • Access free and legal coverage via NOS in the Netherlands and Sporza in Belgium
  • Travelling abroad? Use a VPN to keep access to your home subscription safely
  • Avoid illegal or pirate streams, which are unsafe and breach copyright
  • Watch the UEC Cyclo-Cross European Championships live and free where official coverage is available

Velora only promotes VPN use to maintain access to legitimate, paid, or free-to-air services while abroad.

Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist, and then Rouleur. Before joining Cyclist in 2012, he completed freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.