British star Cat Ferguson escapes serious injury after shocking crash on “dangerous” descent at UCI cyclocross World Cup

Britain’s teenage multidisciplinary sensation Cat Ferguson has escaped serious injury after crashing heavily on a treacherously steep descent during Saturday’s round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Hulst.

The 18-year-old multiple junior world champion, one of several riders to fall on the Dutch course’s infamous downhill section, crashed hard on the second lap of Saturday’s women’s race, won by Marie Schreiber.

She could be seen being treated by medical staff at the bottom of the notoriously tricky, muddy section for several laps, as other riders were directed onto the descent’s inside line.

On Saturday afternoon, Ferguson’s Movistar team announced that the British rider had been taken to hospital for examination. Later that evening, the Spanish squad confirmed that Ferguson had suffered “no serious injuries” in the crash, but noted that she will be kept under observation.

2024 has certainly been a year to remember for the 18-year-old from Yorkshire, who underlined her multidisciplinary prowess by winning four world junior titles this year, including the team pursuit and omnium on the track, and a sensational rainbow double in the time trial and road race in Zurich in September.

(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

And after a dominant final season in the junior ranks, which saw her win almost at will in Europe, Ferguson also proved she can continue her winning ways at elite level, her stagiaire spell in the autumn with Movistar – with whom she will become a fully fledged WorldTour pro in January – yielding two victories, at the Tour de la Semois (only her third race day in Movistar colours) and Binche-Chimay-Binche.

However, Ferguson’s recent foray into elite cyclocross racing has come to an abrupt end (at least temporarily), after Movistar confirmed that she will miss the rest of the traditional Christmas period of racing following her crash in Hulst.

“Cat Ferguson is out for upcoming cyclocross races. After a crash in Hulst, she sustained no serious injuries but will remain under observation and miss the Christmas races,” the Spanish squad said in a statement.

Ferguson’s crash also proved the catalyst for a debate on the safety of that particular section of the Hulst course, which could be used when the venue hosts the 2026 cyclocross world championships, after organisers confirmed that 60 per cent of the existing lap will be utilised, while 40 per cent will be new in order to accommodate more spectators.

 

 

 

 

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Several riders crashed on the course’s steep downhill section, including World Cup leader Michael Vanthourenhout, who fell twice on the descent during the elite men’s race before finishing seventh behind Niels Vandeputte.

Marie Schreiber was also forced to run down the banking, made even more treacherous by the rainy, muddy conditions, as she took advantage of her trademark hole shot speed to hold off her chasers, including Lucinda Brand and Puck Pieterse, to secure her maiden World Cup victory.

“Sometimes we have discussions about whether a descent like that should be in a cyclocross World Cup,” 10-time British and double European cyclocross champion Helen Wyman said in commentary for Eurosport following Ferguson’s crash.

“A cyclocross course is made in a way that it’s suitable for all weathers. You do have the option to run, it might sound controversial but if it’s that dangerous then you can run.

“Equally should a descent that you have to run be in a World Cup course? Is it dangerous? Yes, it can be. You can run then you take yourself out of danger. There are some courses where you can’t run them and then it makes the sport look ridiculous.”

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Last year’s Hulst World Cup round was also overshadowed when world champion Mathieu van der Poel was caught on camera spitting at a group of booing spectators, leading to a 250 Swiss francs fine for the Dutch star.

Van der Poel decided to forgo Hulst this year, and will instead make his cyclocross debut on Sunday in Zonhoven.