It was Dutch domination at the fourth stop of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in the Belgian Zonhoven sand stadium.
The question was which Dutch star would be best in the sand? Could Lucinda Brand recover from a lackluster performance in Ruddervoorde? Might we see 2019 World Champ Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado back at the front after her return from a medical issue? Or could Denise Betsema pull off a rare double win weekend?
Puck Pieterse led lap one. Elite Women. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine
Young Dutch star Puck Pieterse got the holeshot in her try to unseat the bigger stars, and led the first lap before Saturday’s Superprestige winner, Betsema, took to the front.
While most racers ran all of the sandy climbs, the last three World Champions in Brand, Alvarado and Cant tried their best to stay on the bike on the final sandy climb of the lap, with Pieterse following their example later in the race.
Elite Women. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine
After the opening lap theatrics, Betsema took her usual turn at the front, drawing out Pieterse, with Brand struggling to stay in contact.
Behind her, Alvarado, starting third row, steadily made her way through the field, moving inside the top ten within a lap, just 15 seconds behind.
Pieterse did her best to hold Betsema’s wheel, but the steady, consistent riding of Betsema, always getting off her bike before stalling out in the sand, gapped the 19-year-old rider.
Brand would catch and then drop Pieterse and set off on a solo chase of Betsema, but would lose ground to the leader with each lap.
Denise Betsema was best in the Zonhoven sand. Elite Women. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine
The final suspense was in the race for third. Could Alvarado catch her Alpecin-Fenix teammate Pieterse?
Alvarado was smoothest in the sand late in the race, and caught Pieterse with half a lap remaining. The two sprinted to lead the final major descent and into the final climb. Alvarado was first to the corner, bombed the descent and cleaned the climb. Pieterse dabbed at the bottom of the climb, and Alvarado was gone, securing the final step of the podium.
Denise Betsema pulled off a double win weekend. Elite Women. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine
Americans Rebecca Gross and Corey Coogan Cisek finished 47th and 48th.
Full results below. Stay tuned for men’s coverage and photos.
2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven Results: Elite Women
| Pos | Bib | Name / UCI Cyclocross Team | NAT | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 3 | BETSEMA Denise PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | NED | 47:44 | - |
| 2. | 1 | BRAND Lucinda BALOISE TREK LIONS | NED | 48:30 | +0:46 |
| 3. | 2 | ALVARADO Ceylin del Carmen ALPECIN - FENIX | NED | 48:52 | +1:08 |
| 4. | 7 | * PIETERSE Puck ALPECIN - FENIX | NED | 49:04 | +1:20 |
| 5. | 6 | * VAN EMPEL Fem PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | NED | 49:19 | +1:35 |
| 6. | 9 | * VAN ANROOIJ Shirin BALOISE TREK LIONS | NED | 49:20 | +1:36 |
| 7. | 10 | VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge 777 | NED | 49:58 | +2:14 |
| 8. | 36 | * BURQUIER Line A.S BIKE CROSSTEAM | FRA | 50:04 | +2:20 |
| 9. | 5 | KASTELIJN Yara IKO - CRELAN | NED | 50:30 | +2:46 |
| 10. | 14 | ARZUFFI Alice Maria VALCAR - TRAVEL & SERVICE | ITA | 50:41 | +2:57 |
| 11. | 8 | VAN ALPHEN Aniek 777 | NED | 51:02 | +3:18 |
| 12. | 15 | LECHNER Eva TRINX FACTORY TEAM | ITA | 51:19 | +3:35 |
| 13. | 21 | FRANCK Alicia PROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - DOLTCINI CT | BEL | 51:27 | +3:43 |
| 14. | 11 | BAKKER Manon IKO - CRELAN | NED | 51:29 | +3:45 |
| 15. | 16 | PERSICO Silvia VALCAR - TRAVEL & SERVICE | ITA | 51:30 | +3:46 |
| 16. | 34 | CLAUZEL Helene A.S BIKE CROSSTEAM | FRA | 51:46 | +4:02 |
| 17. | 35 | CLAUZEL Perrine A.S BIKE CROSSTEAM | FRA | 52:14 | +4:30 |
| 18. | 26 | TRUYEN Marthe IKO - CRELAN | BEL | 52:27 | +4:43 |
| 19. | 12 | KAPTHEIJNS Maud CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES | NED | 52:41 | +4:57 |
| 20. | 41 | * BACKSTEDT Zoe | GBR | 52:47 | +5:03 |
| 21. | 38 | * ONESTI Olivia STARCASINO CX TEAM | FRA | 53:02 | +5:18 |
| 22. | 17 | GARIBOLDI Rebecca | ITA | 53:19 | +5:35 |
| 23. | 22 | VERHOEVEN Suzanne | BEL | 53:38 | +5:54 |
| 24. | 20 | CANT Sanne IKO - CRELAN | BEL | 53:44 | +6:00 |
| 25. | 50 | OTTESTAD Mie Bjorndal ANDY SCHLECK - CP NVST - IMMO LOSCH | NOR | 54:01 | +6:17 |
| 26. | 40 | GONZALEZ BLANCO Lucia NESTA - MMR CX TEAM | ESP | 54:05 | +6:21 |
| 27. | 23 | NORBERT RIBEROLLE Marion STARCASINO CX TEAM | BEL | 54:42 | +6:58 |
| 28. | 24 | VAN LOY Ellen | BEL | -1 LAP | |
| 29. | 44 | * COUZENS Millie | GBR | -1 LAP | |
| 30. | 18 | * BRAMATI Lucia TRINX FACTORY TEAM | ITA | -1 LAP | |
| 31. | 48 | BARHOUMI Zina | SUI | -2 LAP | |
| 32. | 13 | * NOMDEN Isa | NED | -2 LAP | |
| 33. | 28 | VERHESTRAETEN Karen IKO - CRELAN | BEL | -2 LAP | |
| 34. | 47 | * SCHREIBER Marie TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM | LUX | -2 LAP | |
| 35. | 42 | MELLOR Amira TEAM SPECTRA WIGGLE P/B VITUS | GBR | -2 LAP | |
| 36. | 27 | PEETERS Jinse PROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - DOLTCINI CT | BEL | -2 LAP | |
| 37. | 29 | * CRABBE Kiona PLANTUR-PURA | BEL | -2 LAP | |
| 38. | 37 | * DURAFFOURG Lauriane A.S BIKE CROSSTEAM | FRA | -2 LAP | |
| 39. | 49 | * KOPECKY Julia | CZE | -2 LAP | |
| 40. | 19 | TEOCCHI Chiara TRINITY RACING | ITA | -2 LAP | |
| 41. | 30 | * BROUWERS Julie | BEL | -2 LAP | |
| 42. | 46 | HINZ Katharina Julia | GER | -3 LAP | |
| 43. | 45 | * SEIDEL Clea | GER | -3 LAP | |
| 44. | 43 | * CREES Xan TEAM SPECTRA WIGGLE P/B VITUS | GBR | -3 LAP | |
| 45. | 39 | * DEVIGNE Camille | FRA | -3 LAP | |
| 46. | 31 | * VERVLOET Sterre | BEL | -3 LAP | |
| 47. | 32 | GROSS Rebecca | USA | -3 LAP | |
| 48. | 33 | COOGAN CISEK Corey VELOREVOLUTION WPCYCLES | USA | -3 LAP | |
| 25 | VERDONSCHOT Laura PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | BEL | DNF |
