There’s no ProTour in the mud.

Unlike its counterpart on the road, cyclo-cross is sticking with the World Cup format, which kicks off this Sunday in Kalmthout in Belgium.

After experimenting with the number of races and length of the schedule the UCI has finally settled upon a 10-race series that wraps up January 22, in Hoogerheide in the Netherlands, a week before the world championships in Zeddam.

Half of the World Cup races will be in Belgium (three events) and Holland (two). The remainder will be spread out among the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and France.

It makes sense. The international `cross schedule reflects Belgian and Dutch dominance in a sport that celebrates the nasty winter conditions in the wet, windy and cold climates common in Northern Europe.

World Cup 'cross is contested with national, rather than trade, teams toeing the line, though occasionally commercial pressures play a part. And as usual, it’s the Belgians – with nine riders – who will be favored to dominate not only Sunday’s opener in Kalmthout, but the entire series.

Wearing No. 1 as defending World Cup champion will be Sven Nijs, who will be joined by such notables as Sven Vanthourenhout, Erwin Vervecken, Tom Vannoppen, Davy Commeyne, Bart Wellens, Bart Aernouts, Wim Jacobs and Tim Van Nuffel.

Nearly any one of these riders could rank among the favorites at any race they enter. Nijs, however, had a dream season last year, winning the Belgian national championship, the world championship and the World Cup, and now sits comfortably atop the world rankings with a big margin over – who else? – three other Belgians.

Richard Groenendaal – the last non -Belgian to win a cyclo-cross world championship (in 2000) – will head the Dutch contingent in Kalmthout. The 34-year-old Groenendaal remains a popular force in the discipline, if for no other reason than he’s not decked out in Belgian kit.

But it’s not all a fight between Holland and Belgium in ‘cross these days. Italy’s Enrico Franzoi, the Czech Republic’s Petr Dlask and Zdenek Mlynar, and Frenchman John Gadret have making inroads – or at least forcing the Belgians to work that much harder – over the past few years. Mlynar even surprised the Belgians on their home turf last year, taking the World Cup opener in Wortegem-Petegem, Belgium.

Some say Mlynar was blessed by the day’s dry and very fast conditions at last year’s opener. This year, the weather is supposed to take a decidedly Belgian turn, with rain – and the usual mud – expected throughout the weekend.

The U.S., too, will be represented on Sunday. Americans Jonathan Page and Jeremy Powers both plan to race the bulk of their seasons in Europe before returning home for nationals. It’s a formula that has worked well for three-time U.S. champion Page. A third American ‘crosser, Ryan Trebon, plans to head to the continent later this season.2005 -`06 World Cup Cylco-cross ScheduleOctober 23 - Kalmthout, BelgiumOctober 29 - Tabor, Czech RepublicNovember 13 - Pijnacker, NetherlandsDecember 4 - Wetzikon, SwitzerlandDecember 8 - Milan, ItalyDecember 11 - Igorre, SpainDecember 26 - Hofstade, BelgiumDecember 31 - Hooglede-Gits, BelgiumJanuary 15 - Lievin, FranceJanuary 22 - Hoogerheide, Netherlands

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Start list - World Cup No. 1 - Kalmthout, Belgium
(Race number - Name - Nationality - Team)
1. Sven Nijs (B), Rabobank
2. Sven Vanthourenhout (B), Rabobank
3. Erwin Vervecken (B), Fidea
4. Tom Vannoppen (B), Mrbookmaker.Com
5. Davy Commeyne (B), Mrbookmaker.Com
6. Bart Wellens (B), Fidea
7. Bart Aernouts (B), Rabobank
8. Wim Jacobs (B), Fidea
9. Tim Van Nuffel (B),
11. John Gadret (F), Jartazi Revor
12. Francis Mourey (F), Française Des Jeux
13. Arnaud Labbe (F), Auber 93
14. David Derepas (F)
15. Steve Chainel (F)
16. Geoffrey Clochez (F)
17. Julien Belgy (F), Bouygues Telecom
18. Guillaume Benoist (F)
21. Petr Dlask (Cz)
22. Zdenek Mlynar (Cz)
23. Jiri Pospisil (Cz), Stevens Racing
24. Kamil Ausbuher (Cz)
25. Martin Zlamalik (Cz)
26. Radomir Simunek Jr. (Cz), Mrbookmaker.Com
27. Stybar Zdenek (Cz), Fidea
28. Martin Bina (Cz)
31. Richard Groenendaal (Nl), Rabobank
32. Wilant Van Gils (Nl), Skil - Moser
33. Maarten Nijland (Nl), Eurogifts.Com
34. Camiel Van Den Bergh (Nl), Stevens Racing
35. Gerben de Knegt (Nl)
36. Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Nl), Van Vliet - Ebh - Advocaten
37. Bart Dirkx (Nl)
38. Thijs Al (Nl), Giant-Racing-Team
41. Jonathan Page (USA), Colavita Olive Oil - Sutter Home
42. Jeremy Powers (USA), Jelly Belly - Pool Gel
44. Franzoi Enrico (I), Lampre - Caffita
45. Marco Bianco (I)
47. Christian Heule (Swi), Stevens Racing
48. Michael Baumgartner (Swi)
49. Jan Ramsauer (Swi)
50. Simon Zahner (Swi)
52. Jens Schwedler (G), Stevens Racing
53. Thorsten Struch (G)
54. Urban Malte (G), Stevens Racing
55. Fabian Brezinski (G)
56. Jens Reuker (G)
57. Mike Muller (G)
60. Robert Glajza (Svk)
61. Milan Barenyi (Svk)
62. Vaclaf Metlicka (Svk)
65. Suarez Isaac (Sp)
66. David Seco Amundarain (Sp)
68. Gusty Bausch (Lx)
69. David Coughlin (Can)
70. Peter Presslauer (A), Stevens Racing
72. Dufaide Desgranges (Hai)
73. Grégory Augustin Paul (Hai)
74. Jean Evens Civil (Hai)Reserve riders
Jan Verstraeten (B), Fidea
Ondrej Lukes (Cz)
Vladimir Kyzivat (Cz)
Jean-Pierre Leijten (Nl)
Jean-Baptiste Beraud (F)
Arne Daelmans (B), Chocolade Jacques - T Interim