The UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Namur has been one of the most anticipated events of the 2020 season. On the men’s side, we have Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel facing off for the first time this season. As for women, we see the return of former winner Lucinda Brand (Telenet Baloise Lions). Will she keep her streak going or will another force knock her off her track?
It seems Brand won’t be stopping anytime soon. At today’s event, she took the victory once again. The challenging course featured plenty of climbs that favored the Dutch rider.
The climbs also worked in the favor of fellow American Clara Honsinger (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) who, to the surprise of some European fans who haven’t followed her rise, placed second in Elite Women’s race.
Honsinger leads Betsema on the infamous off-cambers. 2020 Namur UCI Cyclocross World Cup Women. © Cyclocross Magazine
Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) showed promise early into the race with a strong start, but it was not long before Brand took over.
Honsinger climbed the cobbles and field and dropped everyone but Brand to take her biggest European result of her career.
Honsinger, Brand and Betsema. 2020 Namur UCI Cyclocross World Cup Women. © Cyclocross Magazine
Brand took yet another win, flanked by Honsinger in second and Betsema in third.
From North America, we saw Maddie Munro, Katie Compton, Kaitie Keough, Rebecca Fahringer and Cyclocross Magazine columnist Corey Coogan Cisek. They placed 19th, 25th, 30th, 32nd and 59th respectively.
Canada was represented by Ruby West, Sidney McGill and Maghalie Rochette. They placed 23rd and 41st respectively and Rochette did not finish, after injuring herself last week in Gavere.
Full results below.
2020 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Namur Results - Elite Women
| Rank | BIB | Rider | Nation | Age | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | BRAND Lucinda | NED | 31 | 0:52:47 |
| 2 | 42 | HONSINGER Clara | USA | 23 | 0:53:16 |
| 3 | 6 | BETSEMA Denise | NED | 27 | 0:53:25 |
| 4 | 1 | ALVARADO Ceylin del Carmen | NED | 22 | 0:54:08 |
| 5 | 71 | VAS Kata Blanka | HUN | 19 | 0:54:25 |
| 6 | 53 | RICHARDS Evie | GBR | 23 | 0:54:32 |
| 7 | 52 | KAY Anna | GBR | 21 | 0:55:01 |
| 8 | 8 | VAN ALPHEN Aniek | NED | 21 | 0:55:13 |
| 9 | 27 | CLAUZEL Perrine | FRA | 26 | 0:55:20 |
| 10 | 48 | LECHNER Eva | ITA | 35 | 0:55:29 |
| 11 | 9 | PIETERSE Puck | NED | 18 | 0:55:39 |
| 12 | 14 | CANT Sanne | BEL | 30 | 0:55:50 |
| 13 | 64 | MAJERUS Christine | LUX | 33 | 0:55:56 |
| 14 | 5 | BAKKER Manon | NED | 21 | 0:56:02 |
| 15 | 49 | ARZUFFI Alice Maria | ITA | 26 | 0:56:12 |
| 16 | 34 | CLAUZEL Hélène | FRA | 22 | 0:56:15 |
| 17 | 7 | VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge | NED | 21 | 0:56:19 |
| 18 | 10 | VAN EMPEL Fem | NED | 18 | 0:56:19 |
| 19 | 46 | MUNRO Madigan | USA | 18 | 0:57:00 |
| 20 | 51 | HARNDEN Harriet | GBR | 19 | 0:57:44 |
| 21 | 19 | FRANCK Alicia | BEL | 26 | 0:58:17 |
| 22 | 28 | PETIT Marlène | FRA | 29 | 0:58:25 |
| 23 | 62 | WEST Ruby | CAN | 21 | 0:58:28 |
| 24 | 11 | DE BOER Sophie | NED | 30 | 0:58:31 |
| 25 | 43 | COMPTON Katherine | USA | 42 | 0:58:31 |
| 26 | 66 | BARHOUMI Zina | SUI | 24 | 0:58:34 |
| 27 | 56 | MELLOR Amira | GBR | 23 | 0:58:38 |
| 28 | 17 | VANDERBEKEN Joyce | BEL | 36 | 0:58:42 |
| 29 | 15 | VAN LOY Ellen | BEL | 40 | 0:58:50 |
| 30 | 45 | KEOUGH Kaitlin | USA | 28 | 0:58:54 |
| 31 | 36 | ŠTĚPÁNOVÁ Karla | CZE | 29 | 0:59:02 |
| 32 | 44 | FAHRINGER Rebecca | USA | 31 | 0:59:02 |
| 33 | 32 | DURAFFOURG Lauriane | FRA | 18 | 0:59:03 |
| 34 | 55 | JAMES Ffion | GBR | 23 | 0:59:06 |
| 35 | 26 | NORBERT RIBEROLLE Marion | FRA | 21 | 0:59:46 |
| 36 | 30 | FOUQUENET Amandine | FRA | 19 | 1:00:18 |
| 37 | 18 | SELS Loes | BEL | 35 | 1:00:25 |
| 38 | 29 | MORICHON Anaïs | FRA | 21 | 1:00:29 |
| 39 | 54 | NELSON Josie | GBR | 18 | 1:01:11 |
| 40 | 21 | TRUYEN Marthe | BEL | 21 | |
| 41 | 63 | MCGILL Sidney | CAN | 21 | |
| 42 | 20 | VERHOEVEN Suzanne | BEL | 24 | |
| 43 | 33 | STRAPPAZZON Marine | FRA | 26 | |
| 44 | 22 | CRABBÉ Kiona | BEL | 19 | |
| 45 | 35 | PORHEL Laura | FRA | 21 | |
| 46 | 67 | KRÄHEMANN Lara | SUI | 21 | |
| 47 | 58 | WRIGHT Sophie | GBR | 21 | |
| 48 | 13 | MEISTROK Susanne | NED | 21 | |
| 49 | 23 | DE WILDE Julie | BEL | 18 | |
| 50 | 38 | VANÍČKOVÁ Tereza | CZE | 20 | |
| 51 | 57 | PARKINSON Abby-Mae | GBR | 23 | |
| 52 | 65 | PAUL Stefanie | GER | 34 | |
| 53 | 39 | UNGERMANOVÁ Elizabeth | CZE | 21 | |
| 54 | 59 | PERRYMAN Amy | GBR | 19 | |
| 55 | 37 | ŠVIHÁLKOVÁ Tereza | CZE | 21 | |
| 56 | 60 | MANLEY Abbie | GBR | 19 | |
| 57 | 41 | CUETO VEGA Sara | ESP | 26 | |
| 58 | 31 | MOREL PETITGIRARD Marlène | FRA | 32 | |
| 59 | 47 | COOGAN CISEK Corey | USA | 43 | |
| 60 | 68 | SCHÄTTI Michelle | SUI | 21 | |
| 50 | PERSICO Silvia | ITA | 23 | DNF | |
| 61 | ROCHETTE Maghalie | CAN | 27 | DNF | |
| 4 | KASTELIJN Yara | NED | 23 | DNF | |
| 16 | VERDONSCHOT Laura | BEL | 24 | DNF | |
| 40 | GONZALEZ BLANCO Lucia | ESP | 30 | DNF |
