Organizers of the Superprestige in Belgium have confirmed that the race will take place amid COVID-19 restrictions. Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) will make their season debuts.

After new restrictions were imposed in Belgium last week due to confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, Antwerp World Cup organizer Golazo canceled Sunday's event. However, organizers of the Superprestige will continue the race in Boom, less than 20 km from Antwerp.

Ineos Grenadiers confirmed Pidcock's cyclocross schedule on Monday, making this Saturday's Superprestige in Boom his first race of the season.

Pidcock's coach, Kurt Bogarts, revealed the schedule on Friday, saying that the Briton will "start in Boom in basic conditions with zero cyclocross preparation." He also reportedly may race without a start money deal with the race organization, which spends much of its rider budget on Belgian champion Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma).

Coen Monu, organizer of the Superprestige round in Boom, said the announcement from the mountain bike Olympic champion was "very strange."

"I recently heard on TV that Tom will resume in Boom, but so far I have not yet received a start contract or any proposal from him," Monu said.

"I haven't heard anything from his manager yet. The budget has been calculated, including the joining of Wout van Art, but we have not yet decided about Tom's joining. It is not yet clear how it will be arranged."

Pidcock will also compete in the December World Cups in Val di Sole, Lucfen, Namur, and Dendermonde, as well as two Superprestige races in Zolder and Diegem, in an effort to step up to the World Championships in Fayetteville. The last races before the World Championships will be in Baar on January 1, the Hulst World Cup the next day, and a series of races in Hamme and the Hogelheide World Cup the weekend before the World Championships.

Van Aert and Pidcock will begin their cyclocross campaign in Boom, followed by the Val di Sole World Cup in Italy. Pidcock will wait until December 18 to face world champion Mathieu van der Pol (Alpecin Phoenix) in the World Cup in Lucfen.

Van Aert will attend Jumbo Visma's road training camp in mid-December, so the three will not face off until the Dendermonde World Cup on December 26.