Mechanics from the Marlux-Napolean Games clean bikes after some warm up laps - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
USA Cycling had a heavy junior and U23 presence at the World Cup event while riders are in Europe for winter training camp - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Some Focus Mares ready to race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Colnago Prestiges sit alongside a Stevens Super Prestige - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A mechanic prepares a Colnago Prestige for racing - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The majority of riders used Shimano pedals, but there were a few Time Atac pedals around - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 shifters on Toon Aerts' Trek Boone - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Aerts runs Shimano XTR pedals alongside the Dura-Ace R9100 series crankset - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
140mm Shimano RT-99-A-SS centre lock disc rotors were popular among some of the big names at Zeven - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Aerts ran Challenge Baby Limus tubular tyres at Zeven - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 rear derailleur hugs the rear wheel, reducing the risk of damage in a crash - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
For Shimano riders, 46/39 chainrings combined with an 11-28 cassette was the common gearing choice - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A Belgium U23 rider warms up ahead of his race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The bikes go through several cleans thoughout the day following warm ups and during the race, with the components taking plenty of abuse - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
One of Toon Aerts' bikes gets jet washed ahead of the Men's Elite race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Alongside Mathieu Van der Poel's stock Stevens Super Prestige bikes, the former world champion has two custom framesets - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Van der Poel uses 'Prototype' Shimano pedals - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
For the Zeven World Cup, Van der Poel opted for Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 C40 wheels and is known to also ride C60 wheels during the season - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The Beobank-Corendon team ran A. Dugast Rhino tubular tyres at Zeven - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Van der Poel had his bike and handlebar tape cleaned and polished all morning ahead of the racing - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Van der Poel runs a Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 electronic groupset with hydraulic disc brakes - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The crankset takes plenty of abuse throughout the season - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Plenty of spare wheels were around - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
British U18s rider Ben Tullett's S-Works Crux following his 16th place finish in Zeven - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
USA U23 riders warm up ahead of their race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Plenty of nutrition available for the USA Cycling riders - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Helen Wyman opts for Crankbrothers Eggbeater pedals - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Wyman runs a Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 groupset - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A closer look at Helen Wyman's cockpit - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Wyman's 'Queen of the Mud' steerer cap - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Some riders are still running Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 series shifting with non-series disc brakes and levers - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The bikes and components had to deal with very muddy conditions in Germany - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Each bike was checked by the UCI ahead of each race for any technological fraud - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Giant CXR 0 tubular wheels were used by a handful of riders - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Sanne Cant's Stevens Super Prestige in custom world champion colours - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Sanne Cant appeared to have non-production custom chainrings on her Dura-Ace drivetrain - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Cant's levers are raised slightly to prevent slipping over the top of the hoods - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A special saddle for the world champion - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The Beobank-Corendon mechanic ensures each compoent is immaculate ahead of racing - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Van der Poel's custom bikes commemorating his European title and World Cup lead - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Apart from the finish, both bikes run the exact same components and drivetrain - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Cant equips her bikes with Cole wheels - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The pits have multiple jet washes to clean bikes mid race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 crank with Ultegra chain rings and Dura-Ace R9150 derailleurs - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Former cyclocross world champion, Tour de France stages, Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege winner, and Van der Poel's father Adri cleans his son's bike after warming up - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A look at the pits during the Women's Elite race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A bike change during the Women's Elite race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Queues for the pit wash during the Men's Elite race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Wet and muddy were the course conditions at Zeven - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The exit of the pits was particularly wet - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
At the German round of the cyclocross World Cup in Zeven, world champion Wout van Aert bettered his rival Mathieu Van der Poel on the muddy, wet and technical course.
The World Cup event sees Junior Men, U23 Men, Elite Women and Elite Men battle throughout the day with the course becoming more and more challenging with every race.
This season sees the debut of the Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 series groupset in the top level of ‘cross, with Van der Poel, Toon Aerts, Helen Wyman and world champion Sanne Cant, among others, opting for the flagship electronic groupset with hydraulic disc brakes.
In the muddy conditions most riders opted for bike changes each lap, with bikes being cleaned multiple times throughout the day.
Some hybrid drivetrains were spotted featuring older Dura-Ace cranksets, combined with Ultegra chainrings and the latest Di2 shifting and non-series brakes.
Aerts runs Shimano XTR pedals alongside the Dura-Ace R9100 series crankset - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Most riders opted for a gear combination of 46/39 chainrings and an 11-28 cassette for the course, with Toon Aerts suggesting most riders will stick with the same gearing for most of the season’s races apart from the infamous Koppenbergcross.
Sanne Cant appeared to have custom chainrings on her Dura-Ace R9100 crankset.
Click or swipe through the gallery above to take a look at the tech on show and muddy conditions at the Zeven World Cup.
