Flanders Classics, which organises the UCI Cyclocross World Cup, has described Dublin and Benidorm as the new permanent fixtures in the series.
While Tomas Van Den Spiegel said it is still to be determined if Sardinia, which takes place today, will feature again in the future, the Irish and Spanish rounds now appear to be very much fixed into the World Cup series, according to his remarks.
That's good news for Irish cycling, as is the plan by Flanders Classics to perhaps take a break in the World Cup so big name riders - like Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel - can attend road team training camps and hopefully be able to compete in more rounds.
"Just like Dublin and Benidorm, we hope (Sardinia) will become a permanent fixture, although it is not impossible that we will be racing in the snow (Val di Sole) again next season," Van Den Spiegel told Sporza, adding Sardinia was not an easy place for riders and their staff to reach.
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"Certainly not in this period. That is why we have arranged a plane from Brussels for the participants and their entourage. We will travel there on Saturday morning and back on Sunday evening. The plane with 150 seats is fully booked."
He said though some of the top riders will skip Sardinia, this was not related to the location of this week's round but rather so they can attend training camps with their road trade teams.
"We would have liked to have Wout and Mathieu at the start here as well, but with the entire top seven from Dublin we have once again put together a nice field of participants," he said.
Van Den Spiegel added building a break into the World Cup was also being considered to facilitate those riders who also had road commitments.
"We are still searching as an organisation, but that is an option, yes. Then the riders can train fully for what is yet to come. On condition that all parties agree and that we don't get a weekend with two extra races."
