Puck Pieterse has confirmed she will not begin her cyclocross season until 14 December at the earliest, announcing the news in the title of her training ride on Strava earlier today. The update effectively rules her out of all upcoming rounds until mid-December and points towards Namur as the most likely place for her return.
The timing mirrors her 2024–25 campaign, when she opened her season at the Namur World Cup on 15 December 2024, finishing third despite limited cross-specific preparation. Pieterse has frequently used Namur as a springboard into the winter, balancing her MTB commitments and road preparation before switching to the mud.
Photo Credit: ASO-Thomas MaheuxGirona training day with key intervals
Her decision was tucked inside a heavy training day around Girona, with Pieterse tackling the Sant Martà Sacalm climb for an extended interval session. According to her ride data, she completed eight sets of efforts, recording:
- Average power: 222 watts
- Normalised power: 242 watts
- Duration: 31:29
The climb is a regular testing ground for Pieterse, offering long, steady gradients that suit both threshold conditioning and repeatability work. The numbers suggest she is building sustained power rather than sharpening race-specific explosiveness, which aligns with a later start to her cyclocross campaign.
Photo Credit: GettyA delayed debut, but not unusual
A mid-December return is now common for Pieterse, who has tailored recent winters around major MTB ambitions. Last season, the later debut worked well: she hit the ground running with a podium in Namur, followed by consistent results that helped her ride into top form ahead of the World Championships.
If she follows that blueprint again, Namur could once more be her gateway back into the mud.
