The Dublin UCI Cyclocross World Cup course was underwhelming at best when first unveiled. Yet we warned fans to not rush to judgment.
We always stay POV cameras never do courses justice and very much hope that that is the case here. The video might be underwhelming but the course might not.
One can only hope Mother Nature plays a major role in making the racing tough and challenging.
Thankfully Mother Nature cooperated with snow and mud, and it made for tough, eventful racing that started as soon as the Elite Women hit the first barriers.
Puck Pieterse ends up on the ground at the barriers in Lap 1️⃣😬
She is back jumping them without incident on Lap 2️⃣ though and is now just 10 seconds back. #CXWorldCup https://t.co/dPCXvMc6Xa
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) December 11, 2022
U23 World Cup leader Puck Pieters overcame that crash to storm back into the lead, and then it was a two-woman battle between the two World Cup leaders.
Fem Van Empel excels in the latter hillier part of the course. She moves back to the front and creates a gap on Pieterse.
Lap 3️⃣ of 5️⃣ #CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/bwVb0SFy1s
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) December 11, 2022
Fan attendance certainly helped make the course and racing even more exciting.
Fans are out in force to watch the elite women’s @UCIcyclocrossWC race 😍#CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/1wTcdoK2V7
— Cycling Ireland (@CyclingIreland) December 11, 2022
After Van Empel and Pieterse traded leads, Pieters put in a huge effort with a half lap to go.
Pieterse 🆚 Van Empel
Who is it going to be? Last lap 🔔 #CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/9FeB4VTak0
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) December 11, 2022
Van Empel stayed determined, and with just a few turns to go, surged back into the lead, and sprinted down the short finishing straight to take another Elite Women’s World Cup win.
Pieterse followed to add to her U23 Women’s lead, while Denise Betsema rounded out the podium.
Fem Van Empel 🥇 victorious in Dublin 🇮🇪
An epic battle between Pieterse all the way to the finish at Round 9️⃣ of the #CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/4F44FGxPif
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) December 11, 2022
Canadian Sidney McGill had a front-row start and held her position to finish eighth. American Taylor Kuyk-White finished 15th.
Just 30 racers competed, and with nearly half the field from Ireland.
Watch the highlights below.
2022 Dublin UCI Cyclocross World Cup Elite Women’s Video Highlights
Full results below.
2022 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Dublin, Ireland Results: Elite Women
| Pos | Nr | Name / UCI Cyclocross Team | NAT | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 6 | VAN EMPEL Fem PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | NED | 47:13 | - |
| 2. | 4 | * PIETERSE Puck ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK | NED | 47:15 | +0:02 |
| 3. | 3 | BETSEMA Denise PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | NED | 48:50 | +1:37 |
| 4. | 5 | VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge 777 | NED | 49:39 | +2:26 |
| 5. | 28 | * SCHREIBER Marie TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM | LUX | 49:40 | +2:27 |
| 6. | 2 | BAKKER Manon CRELAN - FRISTADS | NED | 50:52 | +3:39 |
| 7. | 7 | FERRAND PREVOT Pauline FRANCE | FRA | 51:52 | +4:39 |
| 8. | 10 | MCGILL Sidney CANADA | CAN | 52:03 | +4:50 |
| 9. | 26 | * COUZENS Millie CRELAN - FRISTADS | GBR | 52:06 | +4:53 |
| 10. | 13 | * MOORS Fleur BELGIUM | BEL | 52:35 | +5:22 |
| 11. | 14 | PEETERS Jinse PROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - DOLTCINI CT | BEL | 53:03 | +5:50 |
| 12. | 12 | * CRABBÉ Kiona CRELAN - FRISTADS | BEL | 53:34 | +6:21 |
| 13. | 11 | * BROUWERS Julie BELGIUM | BEL | 53:43 | +6:30 |
| 14. | 30 | * WOLFF Imogen GREAT BRITAIN | GBR | 53:50 | +6:37 |
| 15. | 8 | KUYK-WHITE Taylor NICE BIKES | USA | 54:23 | +7:10 |
| 16. | 15 | TRUYEN Marthe CRELAN - FRISTADS | BEL | 54:25 | +7:12 |
| 17. | 27 | CREES Xan TEAM SPECTRA WIGGLE P/B VITUS | GBR | 54:28 | +7:15 |
| 18. | 29 | * FERGUSON Cat GREAT BRITAIN | GBR | 54:35 | +7:22 |
| 19. | 17 | CUETO VEGA Sara UNICAJA BANCO - GIJON | ESP | -1 LAP | |
| 20. | 21 | LARKIN Maria IRELAND | IRL | -1 LAP | |
| 21. | 9 | KELLY Siobhan CANADA | CAN | -1 LAP | |
| 22. | 16 | * BONILLO TALENS Sara CAMS-BASSO | ESP | -1 LAP | |
| 23. | 20 | * LALLY Roisin IRELAND | IRL | -1 LAP | |
| 24. | 32 | * DOHERTY Aine IRELAND | IRL | -1 LAP | |
| 25. | 31 | * MCCLOREY Hannah IRELAND | IRL | -1 LAP | |
| 26. | 22 | * MAY Caoimhe IRELAND | IRL | -2 LAP | |
| 27. | 24 | * ROCHE Stephanie IRELAND | IRL | -2 LAP | |
| 28. | 18 | GEOGHEGAN Michelle IRELAND | IRL | -2 LAP | |
| 29. | 25 | STEPHENS Niamh IRELAND | IRL | -2 LAP | |
| 30. | 23 | * ROCHE Annie IRELAND | IRL | -2 LAP |
