January 30/22 14:24 pm - Dutch Take 1-2-3 in Women's Under-23 at CX Worlds
Posted by Editoress on 01/30/22
The Dutch team finished 1-2-3 in the women's Under-23 race at the Cyclo-cross world championships on Sunday, but not without drama on the final lap. Puck Pieterse took the title over Shirin van Anrooij, with defending champion Fem van Empel third. None of the three Canadians in the race finished; pulled before the final lap due to the 80% rule.
The three Dutch riders were the favourites, and they did not disappoint. They dropped all but French riders Line Burquier and Amandine Fouquenet on the first lap and then both of those riders on the second. The pace was so hard that van Empel was temporarily dropped by the other two, before rejoining them on Lap 4 (of six).
Going into the last lap, they all slowed and there was some talking going on, giving Burquier an opportunity to close to within 10 seconds, but then the attacking started and she was instantly gone. Pieterse attacked on the main climb and van Empel followed, with van Anrooij struggling a few seconds back.
It looked to be down to a two rider race, but then van Empel ran into the back of Pieterse's bike on a short uphill, dropping her chain, putting her out of contention. Pieterse looked to have it, but then van Anrooij clawed her way back one last time, setting the stage for a sprint. Pieterse led out and managed to hold off her team mate for the title.
"It was such a weird race, really," said Pieterse. "We were three together and kept overtaking each other, but no one could really get away. I had the plan to go all out on the last big climb, but it didn't work and they were still on my wheel. Then there was a tricky corner and my wheel slipped, but I heard my team shout that I had a gap and I went from there. But just before the last pit zone Shirin came back to my wheel and I knew it would be a sprint. I just went all out and I didn't know if I had it at first because it was so close. It's really cool that we could get on the podium with three girls; we knew before the race it would be possible, we just didn't know what order."
Results
| U23 Women, 6 laps (18.7km) | |
| 1 Puck Pieterse (Netherlands) | 0:46:27 |
| 2 Shirin Van Anrooij (Netherlands) | at s.t. |
| 3 Fem Van Empel (Netherlands) | 0:12 |
| 4 Line Burquier (France) | 0:39 |
| 5 Amandine Fouquenet (France) | 1:26 |
| 6 Marie Schreiber (Luxembourg) | 1:49 |
| 7 Kristyna Zemanova (Czech Republic) | 2:15 |
| 8 Madigan Munro (United States) | 2:16 |
| 9 Katie Clouse (United States) | 3:03 |
| 10 Harriet Harnden (United Kingdom) | 3:34 |
| 11 Kiona Crabbe (Belgium) | 3:51 |
| 12 Lizzy Gunsalus (United States) | 4:01 |
| 13 Tereza Kurnicka (Slovakia) | 4:25 |
| 14 Cassidy Hickey (United States) | 4:29 |
| 15 Lauren Zoerner (United States) | 4:34 |
| 16 Lucia Bramati (Italy) | 5:16 |
| 17 Bridget Tooley (United States) | 5:33 |
| 18 Ellie Mitchell (United States) | 5:47 |
| 19 Katelyn Walcroft (Canada) | -1 Lap |
| 20 Christiane Bilodeau (Canada) | -1 Lap |
| 21 Clea Seidel (Germany) | -2 Laps |
| 22 Kelly Lawson (Canada) | -3 Laps |
| DSQ Lydia Pinto Larenjo (Spain) |
Other Cyclocross Worlds reports
Ackert Makes Incredible Comeback to 8th in Junior Men CX
Rochette 7th as Vos Wins 8th World Title
Interview with Maghalie Rochette
Belgium Sweeps Under-23 Men's CX Worlds
Canada Gets 2 in Top-10 Junior Women at CX Worlds
Italy Wins Inaugural CX Team Relay, Canada 4th & 7th
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