Tibor Del Grosso and Yara Kastelijn are both set to make their cyclocross season debuts this Saturday at the X2O Trofee Herentals. While the Dutch riders have yet to compete in the field this winter, their return marks a key moment in the cyclocross calendar.
Del Grosso, who will compete in the U23 category at Herentals, also has a busy weekend ahead. The 21-year-old will represent the Netherlands at the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Namur on Sunday, following the announcement of the national team earlier this week.
Del Grosso last raced in the field in early February, when he secured the U23 world championship title in Tábor, Czech Republic. He will return this Saturday in his rainbow jersey, adding an extra layer of excitement to his season debut.
Kastelijn recovers from concussion struggles
Yara Kastelijn is also making her long-awaited return to racing after a challenging recovery from concussion symptoms sustained during the road season. In October, Kastelijn revealed via Instagram that lingering issues from crashes during the Tour de France Femmes had kept her sidelined.
“It’s been a while since I’ve competed,” Kastelijn said at the time. “After a few crashes in the Tour de France Femmes, I’ve been dealing with concussion symptoms in the last few weeks. I’m still struggling with it.” She also made it clear that she would not race again until fully recovered.
Kastelijn had previously shared with Wielerflits in September that she was considering only a limited cyclocross programme this winter. While her exact schedule remains unclear, her participation at Herentals signals that she has reached full fitness.
