Cyclo-cross’ travelling circus rolled into Lokeren on 2 November 2025 for the Rapencross, the second round of the X²O Badkamers Trophy. Dutchman Joris Nieuwenhuis soloed to victory ahead of Belgium’s Michael Vanthourenhout, while Lucinda Brand completed a Dutch sweep in the women’s race. Behind the racing drama, the influx of supporters—many arriving from the Netherlands, France and the UK—created a perfect storm for local mobility planners.
Park ter Beuken, the leafy venue on the Durme river, has limited parking, so the city urged visitors to arrive by train via Lokeren station or to use park-and-ride sites along the E17. Yet by mid-morning the Groendreef and N70 ring road were grid-locked, with police reporting peak delays of 25 minutes. De Lijn added shuttle buses but struggled to maintain frequency once the post-race exodus began after 17:00.
![Rapencross in Lokeren draws global cyclo-cross fans and clogs regional roads]()
Hotels in nearby Ghent and Sint-Niklaas reported 92 % occupancy for the weekend, boosted by foreign teams travelling with mechanics and support staff. Local restaurateurs welcomed the windfall—an estimated €1.1 million in additional spend—although residents complained on social media about “bike-mad crowds” and noise until late evening.
The province of East Flanders sees the event as a dress rehearsal for 2027, when Belgium will host the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. Provincial mobility councillor Katrien De Bruyn told reporters that lessons from Rapencross—particularly on rail capacity and last-mile signage—will shape a new “Cyclo-cross Mobility Protocol” due next spring.
For HR managers and relocation advisers, the main takeaway is practical: warn assignees living between Antwerp and Ghent that autumn cyclo-cross weekends can turn sleepy suburbs into traffic bottlenecks—and to check rail timetables or plan grocery runs accordingly.
Park ter Beuken, the leafy venue on the Durme river, has limited parking, so the city urged visitors to arrive by train via Lokeren station or to use park-and-ride sites along the E17. Yet by mid-morning the Groendreef and N70 ring road were grid-locked, with police reporting peak delays of 25 minutes. De Lijn added shuttle buses but struggled to maintain frequency once the post-race exodus began after 17:00.
Hotels in nearby Ghent and Sint-Niklaas reported 92 % occupancy for the weekend, boosted by foreign teams travelling with mechanics and support staff. Local restaurateurs welcomed the windfall—an estimated €1.1 million in additional spend—although residents complained on social media about “bike-mad crowds” and noise until late evening.
The province of East Flanders sees the event as a dress rehearsal for 2027, when Belgium will host the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. Provincial mobility councillor Katrien De Bruyn told reporters that lessons from Rapencross—particularly on rail capacity and last-mile signage—will shape a new “Cyclo-cross Mobility Protocol” due next spring.
For HR managers and relocation advisers, the main takeaway is practical: warn assignees living between Antwerp and Ghent that autumn cyclo-cross weekends can turn sleepy suburbs into traffic bottlenecks—and to check rail timetables or plan grocery runs accordingly.
