In Episode 8 of Season 5, Neil Bruce and Matt are back with a Christmas show packed with action and previews.

In Crosstalk, they review the UK UCI double header, with the first running of Clanfield Cross as an international race, and also cover round 5 of the National Trophy that came from Cyclopark, a race that polarised opinions, and a course that changed throughout the weekend.   They review the snowy Val Di Sole and debate whether this is a direction in which cyclocross should move, or whether it's a too far from the roots of the sport.  

Rucphen and Namur gave a World Cup double weekend with a fantastic series of races, and the Netherlands venue delivered a great course design despite the dreadful spiral of doom (do you agree?).  It was of course, a weekend to be remembered by UK CX as the first time that a British rider has won a men's elite race... whilst Backstedt maintained her unbeaten run having won every Junior Women's world cup race ever.  

In the Laatste Ronde, they look forward to the Kerstperiode including two World Cups, two Superprestiges, and two X2O races in just a few days.  Will Dendermonde be another waterslog?  Will Zolder deliver last lap excitement this time?  Will anyone get stranded at double-pit Diegem?  Will Neil start to appreciate Baal?  Will Van der Poel return at Loenhout, as Van Aert did 2 years ago?  Will Hulst-not-Hulst ever go back to the much-missed windmill?

In fact, with the pandemic allow anything to happen at all?

Happy Kerstperiode everyone!

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