For the second U.S. UCI Cyclocross World Cup, familiar faces were at the front battling for supremacy at Fayetteville, the site of the 2022 UCI Cyclocross World Championships.
Just as we saw at the Elite Women’s UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Waterloo last weekend, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions), Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) and Annemarie Worst (777) were contesting the win until the end. Only Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin – Deceuninck) and Inge van der Heijden (777) were missing from the last-lap battle and Waterloo reenactment on the hilly course in Arkansas.
Van der Heijden started the lap in contention but was quickly dropped by the last-lap attacks, while Alvarado was chasing the leaders solo.
Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) overcame a mechanical to contest the win, but then was shed by the final lap fireworks as well.
European Champion Brand only needs a descent to attack! 😲 Van Empel is the only one who can follow. The duo has a lead of 1️⃣3️⃣ seconds. #CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/6cecSz7GYk
— UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup (@UCIcyclocrossWC) October 16, 2022
Brand knows the finishing stretch all too well, finishing second in a sprint behind Marianne Vos earlier this year.
This time around, Brand accelerated with a few corners to go, but Worst and Van Empel were on her wheel, and Van Empel unleashed a furious sprint to take her second-straight UCI Cyclocross World Cup.
2️⃣ #CXWorldCup rounds in America, 2️⃣ victories for Fem van Empel 🏆🤩 pic.twitter.com/cFIWZEpDvU
— UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup (@UCIcyclocrossWC) October 16, 2022
Van Empel heads back to Europe with the World Cup leader’s jersey firmly planted on her back. She’s also leading the U23 competition as well.
The U.S. finished with two top-ten places, with Clara Honsinger and Austin Killips finishing eighth and tenth.
See the full results below.
2022 UCI Fayetteville Cyclocross World Cup Results: Elite Women
| Pl | Bib | Name / UCI Cyclocross Team | NAT | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 9 | * VAN EMPEL Fem PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | NED | 50:05 | - |
| 2. | 5 | BRAND Lucinda BALOISE TREK LIONS | NED | 50:06 | +0:01 |
| 3. | 10 | WORST Annemarie 777 | NED | 50:07 | +0:02 |
| 4. | 4 | BETSEMA Denise PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL | NED | 50:19 | +0:14 |
| 5. | 8 | VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge 777 | NED | 50:30 | +0:25 |
| 6. | 2 | ALVARADO Ceylin del Carmen ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK | NED | 50:56 | +0:51 |
| 7. | 11 | CLAUZEL Hélène AS BIKE RACING | FRA | 51:12 | +1:07 |
| 8. | 20 | HONSINGER Clara EF EDUCATION - TIBCO - SVB | USA | 51:30 | +1:25 |
| 9. | 3 | BAKKER Manon CRELAN - FRISTADS | NED | 52:06 | +2:01 |
| 10. | 21 | KILLIPS Austin NICE BIKES | USA | 52:25 | +2:20 |
| 11. | 12 | MANI Caroline FRANCE | FRA | 52:37 | +2:32 |
| 12. | 35 | * KRAHL Judith HEIZOMAT RADTEAM P/B KLOSTER KITCHEN | GER | 52:43 | +2:38 |
| 13. | 33 | MCGILL Sidney CANADA | CAN | 53:17 | +3:12 |
| 14. | 31 | * HOLMGREN Ava CANADA | CAN | 53:18 | +3:13 |
| 15. | 7 | KAPTHEIJNS Maud DESCHACHT-HENS-MAES | NED | 53:36 | +3:31 |
| 16. | 23 | NUSS Raylyn UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 53:55 | +3:50 |
| 17. | 16 | * BOND Keira UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 54:11 | +4:06 |
| 18. | 30 | * HOLMGREN Isabella CANADA | CAN | 54:16 | +4:11 |
| 19. | 15 | BERNSTEIN Caitlin NICE BIKES | USA | 54:16 | +4:11 |
| 20. | 19 | * HICKEY Cassidy UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 54:18 | +4:13 |
| 21. | 17 | GILBERT Sunny UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 54:23 | +4:18 |
| 22. | 13 | ARENSMAN Hannah UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 54:56 | +4:51 |
| 23. | 22 | MEGALE Anna UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 54:56 | +4:51 |
| 24. | 24 | WERNER Emily UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 55:32 | +5:27 |
| 25. | 25 | ZAVETA Erica UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 55:49 | +5:44 |
| 26. | 29 | * FRANCIS Jenaya CANADA | CAN | 55:49 | +5:44 |
| 27. | 18 | * GUNSALUS Lizzy UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | 56:24 | +6:19 |
| 28. | 28 | * BILODEAU Christiane CANADA | CAN | -1 LAP | |
| 29. | 14 | * ASELTINE Mia UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | USA | -1 LAP | |
| 30. | 32 | KELLY Siobhan CANADA | CAN | -2 LAP | |
| 31. | 34 | WALCROFT Katelyn CANADA | CAN | -2 LAP | |
| 32. | 6 | GOOSSENS Veerle NETHERLANDS | NED | -2 LAP | |
| 33. | 36 | LARKIN Maria IRELAND | IRL | -2 LAP |
