Sunday’s final day of the 2026 UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Hulst, the Netherlands, kicked off with the Junior men’s race, where what looked like a sure win for Italy turned into another Dutch title. Delano Heeren went from third to first over the final two laps to celebrate at the line. Emilien Belzile was Canada’s top rider at 22nd.
Preliminaries
Italy’s success in the Junior men’s race looked like it might continue. In 2025 Mattia Agostinacchio earned the rainbow stripes with a broken shoe. This year’s Junior World Cup victor Patrik Pezzo Rosola seemed like a solid bet, and his compatriot Filippo Grigolini was no slouch either. Sunday was a little slicker than Friday and Saturday.
Canada’s Emilien Belzile placed 11th last year. He was back with Sagan Goertz, Grayson Franks, and Farland Lamont among the 66-strong field.
Heeren was the winner of the hole shot. Belgian Giel Lejeune was in his back pocket. Lamont got a decent start. The order was Heeren, Lejeune and France’s Soren Bruyere Joumard in the first half of the first circuit. Goertz was delayed a little by a pile up that started with a German slide out. France swapped out its foremost rider as Soen La Pann seized the reins. Grigolini led a pack of nine over the line. Belzile was 26th, Lamont 28th.
Lejeune had compatriot Jari van Lee to help mark Grigolini at the start of Lap 2, but the Italian slipped his traces. He led Bruyere Joumard and Lejeune by 10 seconds at the line. Belzile was 21st.
On Lap 3 of 5, the middle lap, Lejeune took leave of Bruyere Joumard, who was overtaken by Heeren. Lejeune was 13 seconds back, Heeren +0:21 at the end of the circuit. Belzile was down to 24th.
The penultimate lap saw Heeren reunite with Lejeune. By the bell lap, Heeren had bid Lejeune “tot zeins” and started to crowd the Italian. Grigolini crashed first at the bottom of the steep descent that had played hob with the other riders and then went down again fifteen seconds later. Heeren and Grigolini went shoulder to shoulder in a turn and the Dutchman powered past. Grigolini barely held off Lejeune for silver.
“Just what the f**k?” commented Heeren in the post-race interview.
2026 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Junior Men
Gold) Delano Heeren (The Netherlands) 40:15
Silver) Filippo Grigolini…
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