Toon Aerts will seek to defend the title he won last year ©Getty Images

Belgium’s Toon Aerts will seek to defend his men’s elite title at the Cyclo-Cross European Championships in Tábor.

He claimed victory at Pont-Château in France last year, but is expected to face a strong challenge when this year’s elite race is held on Sunday (November 5).

The Netherlands’ Mathieu van der Poel is likely to pose the biggest threat, following his three World Cup wins so far this season.

Van der Poel, the 2015 world champion, will be joined by compatriot Lars van der Haar in the field.

Belgium will also boast the contenders in Laurens Sweeck, Kevin Pauwels and Michael Vanthourenhout.

Belgium and The Netherlands are expected to be the favourites in the women’s race with Sanne Cant and Maud Kaptheijns set to led the challenges respectively.

Cant is the reigning world champion in the discipline and will favoured by many to set the pace during the competition.

Britain’s Nikki Brammeir and the Dutch riders, Annemarie Worst and Sophie de Boer, are also considered to be among the contenders.

World champion Sanne Cant is expected to be among the favourites in the women's event ©Getty Images
World champion Sanne Cant is expected to be among the favourites in the women's event ©Getty Images

“The Cyclo-Cross European Championships are the last big meeting in the UEC season, which coincide with one of the first major international events of this fascinating discipline,” said Rocco Cattaneo, European Cycling Union (UEC) President.

“Europe has always been considered the birthplace of cyclo-cross and Tábor will once again prove this in a few days with all the best specialists at the start, women and men who will be spoken about for the next three months and beyond.

“Next weekend in Tábor, we will not only see a high level technical competition but a great cyclo-cross celebration, also with the Championships for the Masters category on the Saturday, which will open these two very action-packed days.

“I would like to thank the Czech Cycling Federation, the organising committee lead by Petr Balogh and all the volunteers who have given their great professionalism to support these Championships.”

The Championships are being held in the Czech Republic for the first time since 2001, with 236 athletes set to start the event, representatives from 15 nations.

Masters titles will be awarded tomorrow, with men’s and women’s elite races due to take place the following day.

Both men’s and women’s under-23 races are also set to take place on the day, along with a men’s junior event.