The rivalry between Mathieu Van Der Pol (Alpecin Phoenix) and Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) in the Tour de Flanders will be replicated in several cyclocross races this winter.

Organizers of the X²O Badkamer Trofee (formerly DVV Trofee) have announced that the series will go ahead despite rallies being restricted to control the surging coronavirus pandemic in Belgium.

According to the series announcement, Wout van Aert is still finalizing his cyclocross calendar but will compete in four rounds of the series: the Kortrijk on November 28, the Herentals on December 23 (the Loenhout round originally scheduled for December 29 ), Baal on January 1, and a pre-world round in Hamme on January 23.

Mathieu Van Der Pol will also compete in four of the eight events (starting with the Scheldecross on December 12 and meeting Van Art in Herentals, Baal, and Hamme).

All races will be held "behind closed doors" with no spectators, but will be broadcast live on Eurosport and Global Cycling Network's Sporza in the Netherlands and France.

Last season, Van Aert was still recovering from injuries sustained in a crash during the 2019 Tour de France time trial and competed in only two events in the series. Belgium's Eli Iserbyt won the final class, contested on cumulative times.

Organizers say they will be able to offer the same full prize money as in previous years, thanks to a new sponsor, bathroom equipment company X²O. The men's and women's teams will compete for a total prize money of 145,600 euros.

"We are very grateful to X²O Bathrooms for their efforts and great cooperation," Christophe Impens, organizer of Golazo Sports, told Sport.be. [We would also like to thank our other partners. They have remained loyal to us during these difficult times. We are also pleased to welcome many new partners."

Soudal will sponsor the Soudal Ladies Trophy, a women's series won last year by world champion Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado.