On Sunday, the cyclo-cross riders will tackle the famous sand dunes at the World Cup race in Koksijde. The riders of Marlux-Napoleon Games have already done a reconnaissance of the course and still have to come to terms with what they saw when they headed up a new ramp.

The World Cup in Koksijde has been given a facelift. The new route promises spectacle because a spicy climb has been added immediately after the start. The riders will have to run a lot in the sand.

Kevin Pauwels, Klaas Vantornout and Dieter Vanthourenhout all had a look today and the latter was not really enthusiastic. "I miss the old course," he wrote on Twitter. "Once again changed. They try to surpass Zonhoven."

Vantornout was more postive and called the climb a "beautiful new passage." U23 rider Eli Iserbyt is critical. "It is more off-road running than cyclo-cross." It remains to be seen who will handle the new climb best.