Kleeberg Cross
The Kleeberg Cross marks the start of the Dutch cyclo-cross season and takes place on the grounds immediately surrounding Buitenplaats de Mechelerhof. In 2026, the cyclo-cross weekend will take place on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September. The national races are scheduled for Saturday, whilst the international UCI categories will take place on Sunday.
Watch the Kleeberg Cross from De Mechelerhof
The Kleeberg Cross course runs around the sports fields at Spetsesweide, right next to our park. The circuit passes the RKMVC football pitches, the tennis courts, De Mechelerhof holiday park and the Scouting St. Martinus accommodation, whose cooperation makes this two-day sporting event possible.
That means you can be standing by the barriers within minutes of leaving your holiday home. No traffic jams, no hunting for a parking space and no long walk with the children. If you fancy warming up or having a cup of coffee in between, you can simply walk back to your own terrace. For many guests, that’s exactly why they choose to spend their motocross weekend here.
Book your stay during the cyclo cross weekend
The course
The circuit is approximately 2.6 kilometres long and, apart from the tarmac start and finish sections, is entirely unpaved: around 1,800 metres across grassland and 650 metres along forest tracks, along with a sandy section, an off-camber stretch and the infamous ‘wet zone’ – a water-logged section where riders sometimes sink up to their knees in mud. Added to this are the sloping sections, the short climbs, the steps and the gruelling metres across the gradually ascending meadow.It is a compact circuit, which makes it particularly appealing to spectators. You’ll see the riders pass by several times per lap and can easily move around to different spots.
The route was mapped out by our very own Guido
Anyone checking in at our park is very likely to be assisted by Guido. That same Guido is the race secretary and course designer for the Kleeberg Cross. Weeks before the cross-country weekend, he walks the course, deciding where the steps will go, how steep the off-camber sections will be and how deep the wet zone can be this year.
This means that at our information desk, you’ll find someone who knows the route inside out. Feel free to ask him where the best spot is to watch the riders struggle, or how this year’s route compares to last year’s. Even outside the cyclo-cross weekend, Guido is our cycling expert: he knows the MOZL network and the routes in the Geuldal like no other and is happy to help you plan a bespoke ride.
Programme for the 2026 cyclo-cross weekend
Saturday 26 September, National Cross-Country Championships: Masters 40+, amateurs and sports class, novice girls and novice boys.
Sunday 27 September, UCI C2 Junior Men, Junior Women, Elite and U23 Women, Elite and U23 Men.
Admission to the event is free. Please check the website of the organising body, Stichting KCC, for the full programme and any traffic arrangements.
Tips for the cyclo-cross weekend
- The route runs right around De Mechelerhof, so you don’t need to take the car
- Our very own Guido is setting up the course and will be happy to give you the best viewing tips
- The cyclo-cross race counts as a UCI C2 event, the highest level in the Netherlands after the World Cups and the C1 cyclo-cross races
- Bring your wellies – the ‘wet zone’ lives up to its name every year
- Why not come and have a go on a bike yourself this weekend? We’re officially MOZL Trailhub
- We are an official starting point for Nederland Fietsland
- Why not combine your weekend with a walk through the Geul Valley? September is one of the most beautiful months in the Hilly Region
- Book in good time – the motocross weekend coincides with the late summer period and availability is running out fast
Cycling facilities during your stay
Are you bringing your own bike? The park has lockable, covered bike sheds with charging points, private bike lockers and a bike cleaning station where you can wash, rinse and pump up your tyres. Use of these facilities is free for our guests. You can wash and dry your cycling gear in the launderette, and cycling tools are available at the service point. View all cycling facilities or hire a mountain bike or e-bike on site via our bike rental.
Frequently asked questions
The Kleeberg Cross runs across the weekend of Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2026. Saturday is given over to the national races, while Sunday hosts the UCI C2 competition.
The course is laid out around the RKMVC sports grounds on the Spetsesweide in Mechelen, in the south of Dutch Limburg. That puts it right on the doorstep of Buitenplaats de Mechelerhof. From your holiday home, the course is a walk of just a few minutes.
The organisers have stuck to a September date for years, which makes the Kleeberg Cross the opening round of the Dutch cyclocross season. Plenty of riders use it as their first proper test in the mud.
It is the mix of surfaces that makes it hard going. Apart from the tarmac start and finish straight, the whole lap is unpaved: meadow grass, woodland tracks, a sand section, an off camber stretch and the infamous wetzone, where riders can sink in up to their knees.
