The last scheduled meeting of the "big three" cyclocross riders at the Koksijde round of the X2O Trophy on Thursday was announced as Tom Pidcock will not be present due to illness.Ineos later announced that Pidcock will miss the Gullegem Hexia Cross and this weekend's Zonhoven World Cup will also be missed.

Thursday's race in Coxeide was world champion Mathieu van der Pol's last chance to face two former world champions, Wout van Aert (Vimalies a Bike) and Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers). Van Aert could have a rematch at the Benidorm World Cup on January 21, 2024.

Pidcock struggled in the GP Sven Nys (Baar), the opening race of the year, falling behind the chase group and finishing 12th, five minutes behind Van der Pol.

"This afternoon I received an email from Tom Pidcock's entourage. The race organizer told Het Laatste Nieuws that he is not feeling well and will not be able to start.

"Of course it is unfortunate, but the health of the athlete comes first. It is unfortunate that the "big three" will not be at the start, but there should still be a strong field of participants. Lars van der Haar, the leader in the ranking, will also participate, along with the elite of the cyclocross world."

Pidcock started the cyclocross season strong with a podium finish in Herentals and a victory in the Namur World Cup in mid-December, overcoming a setback from a previous illness before the Antwerp World Cup on December 8. After two podium finishes in Gavel and Diegem, Pidcock crashed and finished 25th in the World Cup in Hulst.

"Unfortunately, Tom Pidcock has had to abandon this week's CX races in Coxaide, Hexia Cross-Gullegem, and Sonnhofen due to illness. Rest up and come back to racing soon," a statement from Ineos Grenadiers said.

The cross peloton will also be without Eli Iserbito (Pauwels Sauzen Bingor), who was sent to the hospital after suffering from severe dehydration due to an intestinal infection. He will lose his second place in the X2O Trophy but hopes to recover to compete in the Sonnenhofen World Cup on Sunday and defend his series lead.