It was a game of risk and reward at the 2021 Telenet Superprestige stop in Ruddervoorde, Belgium.
After Sanne Cant took an impressive holeshot and rode away from the field by acing a slippery off-camber that forced everyone else off the bike, it was clear that the feature would be a difference-maker.
On a course that served up a bit of everything, including an uphill sandpit, hoppable barriers, slippery off-cambers and plenty of short, steep up and downs, the conservative approach was to dismount before coming to a halt.
Denise Betsema largely used such an approach for a steady race at the front, dropping chaser Inge van der Heijden.
Behind her, Annemarie Worst took risks chasing, passing van der Heijden, but in her effort to connect with Betsema, she repeatedly hit the deck, including suffering a late-race spill at the same off-camber that Sanne Cant used to her advantage on the first lap.
Betsema stayed upright to take the win, Worst took second ahead of her teammate Inge van der Heijden. Sanne Cant finished fourth, ahead of World Champ Lucinda Brand. Full video highlights and results below.
The racers head to the sandy stadium of Zonhoven tomorrow to tackle the fourth UCI Cyclocross World Cup.
2021 Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde Results: Elite Women
| Pl | Bib | Name | Nat | Team | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | BETSEMA Denise | NED | PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | 47´03.0" | |
| 2 | 5 | WORST Annemarie | NED | 777 | 47´46.0" | +43.0" |
| 3 | 12 | VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge | NED | 777 | 48´01.0" | +58.0" |
| 4 | 2 | CANT Sanne | BEL | IKO - CRELAN | 48´16.0" | +1´13.0" |
| 5 | 1 | BRAND Lucinda | NED | BALOISE TREK LIONS | 48´55.0" | +1´52.0" |
| 6 | 9 | VAN ALPHEN Aniek | NED | 777 | 49´25.0" | +2´22.0" |
| 7 | 13 | NORBERT RIBEROLLE Marion | BEL | STARCASINO CX TEAM | 49´47.0" | +2´44.0" |
| 8 | 8 | BAKKER Manon | NED | IKO - CRELAN | 49´54.0" | +2´51.0" |
| 9 | 6 | KASTELIJN Yara | NED | IKO - CRELAN | 50´36.0" | +3´33.0" |
| 10 | 15 | BACKSTEDT Zoe | GBR | TORMANS-ACROG | 51´12.0" | +4´09.0" |
| 11 | 22 | BENTVELD Leonie | NED | NWV GRONINGEN | 51´31.0" | +4´28.0" |
| 12 | 10 | VAN LOY Ellen | BEL | VONDELMOLEN-DE CEUSTER CYCLING | 52´09.0" | +5´06.0" |
| 13 | 19 | GARIBOLDI Rebecca | ITA | 52´10.0" | +5´07.0" | |
| 14 | 31 | MOLENGRAAF Lauren | NED | RWC AHOY | 53´08.0" | +6´05.0" |
| 15 | 18 | MELLOR Amira | GBR | Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus | 53´28.0" | +6´25.0" |
| 16 | 30 | MEISTROK Susanne | NED | PROXIMUS-ALPHAMOTORHOMES-DOLTC | 53´49.0" | +6´46.0" |
| 17 | 45 | VAN ANROOIJ Lindy | NED | PROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - D | 54´08.0" | +7´05.0" |
| 18 | 16 | DOBBELAERE Jana | BEL | STARCASINO CX TEAM | 54´35.0" | +7´32.0" |
| 19 | 50 | KNAVEN Mirre | NED | WV BREDA | 54´52.0" | +7´49.0" |
| 20 | 21 | CREES Xan | GBR | Team Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus | 55´34.0" | +8´31.0" |
| 21 | 29 | VERZIJL Bibi | NED | RWC AHOY | 1 r | |
| 22 | 52 | OFFEREIN Iris | NED | WRV DE PEDDELAARS | 1 r | |
| 23 | 38 | DEFOUR Lara | BEL | MULTUM ACCOUNTANTS LADIES CYCL | 2 r | |
| 24 | 20 | OTTESTAD Mie Bjørndal | NOR | WIELERCLUB DE SPRINTERS MALDER | 2 r | |
| 25 | 51 | DEVIGNE Camille | FRA | PEDALE MADELEINOISE | 2 r | |
| 26 | 25 | GOOSSENS Veerle | NED | WV DE JONGE RENNER OOSTERHOUT | 2 r | |
| 27 | 24 | CRABBÉ Kiona | BEL | CRELAN-IKO | 2 r | |
| 28 | 32 | ZWAENEPOEL Tessa | BEL | PROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - D | 2 r | |
| 29 | 59 | GORT Femke | NED | BNS TECHNICS-GROUP T.O.M. | 2 r | |
| 30 | 60 | ROMBOUTS Tine | BEL | ACROG - TORMANS BALEN BC | 2 r | |
| 31 | 33 | HOEFMANS Pem | NED | WATERSLEY R&D CYCLING TEAM | 2 r | |
| 32 | 53 | SAS Lore | BEL | ACROG - TORMANS BALEN BC | 3 r | |
| 33 | 28 | COUZENS Millie | GBR | Crelan-IKO | 3 r | |
| 34 | 36 | DE BRUYCKERE Xenna | BEL | PROXIMUS-ALPHAMOTORHOMES-DOLTC | 3 r | |
| 35 | 35 | DE SMEDT Febe | BEL | AA DRINK YOUNG LIONS | 3 r | |
| 36 | 56 | COOGAN CISEK Corey | USA | VeloRevolution WPCycles | 3 r | |
| 37 | 62 | BAELE Lotte | BEL | KON. VC ´T MEETJESLAND - KNESS | 3 r | |
| 38 | 57 | BARTHELS Maïté | LUX | LP07 SCHIFFLANGE | 3 r | |
| 39 | 17 | DE KEERSMAEKER Audrey | BEL | STARCASINO CX TEAM | 3 r | |
| 40 | 44 | GREENHALGH Laura | GBR | Velorevolution-WPCycles | 3 r | |
| 41 | 41 | SCHEVENELS Lies´L | BEL | VONDELMOLEN-DE CEUSTER CYCLING | 3 r | |
| 42 | 27 | VINKE Nienke | NED | WV EEMLAND | 3 r | |
| 43 | 68 | GROSS Rebecca | USA | ZERO D RACING | 3 r | |
| 44 | 46 | VAN DEN BRANDE Mirthe | BEL | VONDELMOLEN-DE CEUSTER CYCLING | 3 r | |
| 45 | 49 | KIEKENS Cleo | BEL | ACROG - TORMANS BALEN BC | 3 r | |
| 46 | 48 | BREUGELMANS Rosanne | BEL | BNS TECHNICS-GROUP T.O.M. | 3 r | |
| 47 | 42 | VAN DER VEEN Carmen | NED | WATERSLEY RACE & DEVELOPMENT C | 3 r | |
| 48 | 54 | DE GROOT Marieke | NED | Get Coached | 3 r | |
| 49 | 66 | VAN ESPELO Danique | NED | GO 4 CYCLING | 3 r | |
| 50 | 67 | BLANCHAERT Jo | BEL | Individueel | 4 r | |
| 51 | 40 | VAN DE KERKHOF Marie | BEL | AA DRINK YOUNG LIONS | 4 r | |
| 52 | 58 | VERSCHUEREN Jolisa | BEL | NEVER GIVE UP BY JOLIEN VERSCH | 4 r | |
| 26 | BASTIAENSSEN Fauve | BEL | BNS TECHNICS-GROUP T.O.M. | DNF | ||
| 37 | VAN WATERSCHOOT Famke | NED | Individueel | DNF | ||
| 43 | GEVERS Hanne | BEL | BNS TECHNICS - GROUP T.O.M. | DNF | ||
| 47 | DHONT Kiona | BEL | VONDELMOLEN-DE CEUSTER CYCLING | DNF | ||
| 55 | DE VOS Nele | BEL | NEVER GIVE UP BY JOLIEN VERSCH | DNF | ||
| 64 | MULDER Mascha | NED | PROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - D | DNF | ||
| 65 | SELS Loes | BEL | PROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - D | DNF | ||
| 34 | BARTHELS Layla | LUX | LP07 Schifflange | DNS | ||
| 39 | SCHOKKAERT Febe | BEL | TARTELETTO - ISOREX CX-TEAM | DNS |
