EK Veldrijden in Zeddam Starts Without Full Television Coverage
The second day of the European Cyclocross Championships in Zeddam, Netherlands, opened with the junior men’s race on Sunday, November 8, 2026, where Sporza reported that 16-year-old Belgian talent Lars Peers entered as a primary focus among the contenders. While elite races received broad broadcast coverage, In de Leiderstrui noted that only two of the six total championship events were scheduled for live television, leaving youth categories reliant on alternative tracking.
Television schedules for the weekend limited live broadcasts on NOS, HBO (Eurosport and HBO Max), and VRT 1 strictly to the elite categories, according to In de Leiderstrui. Fans following the junior men, junior women, and youth divisions had to rely on livetiming updates rather than video feeds.
Lars Peers Faces Early Setbacks on the Muddy Course
Starting from the fourth row due to a lack of UCI points in the junior ranks, Lars Peers faced an immediate traffic hurdle on the long starting straight, Sporza reported. Despite a quick surge that put him briefly into the top ten, the young Belgian encountered trouble on the finish straight when contact with another rider sent him crashing to the ground. Teammate Emiel Osaer also slid out shortly afterward.
Both riders recovered quickly and rejoined the chase group near the barriers, where Peers and Osaer raced in fifth and sixth positions respectively. At the front of the race, Italian rider Tommaso Cingolani drove the pace alongside Dutch competitor Loek Hovers, establishing a 16-second gap over the chasing Belgian contingent that included Bas Vanden Eynde.
Missing Contenders Shape the Junior Men Competition
Belgium entered the weekend missing a key medal contender when Tijl Vanhaverbeke withdrew from the squad due to illness, Sporza reported. Vanhaverbeke had previously secured gold in the short track and bronze in cross country at the European mountainbike championships last summer, and had beaten Peers earlier in the season in Meulebeke.
Without Vanhaverbeke, the competition shifted toward reigning world champion Delano Heeren, who captured the rainbow jersey last season as a first-year junior and shares a developmental contract with Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe alongside Peers. French contender Victor Devos, winner of the Keizer der Juniores road race and victor over Peers at the Koppenbergcross, also featured prominently in the pre-race analysis alongside Czech rider Ondrej Bukovsky.
Broadcasting Disparities at the European Championships
While Eurosport 1, HBO Max, VRT 1, and NPO 1 covered the women’s and men’s elite races starting at 14:50 local time, junior and under-23 riders competed without standard television broadcasts, forcing supporters to track progress through timing data alone.
Did you know?
Lars Peers captured the European mountainbike title in the under-16 category last July before transitioning to his first full cyclocross season as a junior.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Zeddam Championships
Which broadcasters aired the elite races at the European Cyclocross Championships?
Eurosport 1, HBO Max, VRT 1, NPO 1, and the NOS app provided live coverage for the elite events.
Why did Lars Peers start on the fourth row?
Peers faced a back-row start because his young age and limited UCI points in the junior division placed him further down the starting grid.
Who won the European mountainbike title alongside Lars Peers last summer?
Lars Peers won the under-16 mountainbike title in July, while Tijl Vanhaverbeke secured gold in the short track at the same event.
Keep reading