Just like last week, a storm was passing by over the Netherlands and Belgium. Contrary to last week’s race in Merksplas, however, the race didn’t get canceled, pleasing cyclocross stars and fans, and disappointing headwind specialists.
With a lot of off-cambers and steep uphills and downhills, Vestingcross centers around an old windmill built in 1792.
2020 Vestingcross Hulst. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
At the 2020 Vestingcross Hulst, the site of next year’s UCI Cyclocross World Cup, the Elite Women followed the season’s script with another duel between Annemarie Worst (777) and 2020 World Champ Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin Fenix).
Elite Women. 2020 Vestingcross Hulst. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
And just like yesterday at the Superprestige Middelkerke, they had some company in the form of Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).
Alvarado beats Worst in a sprint once again. Elite Women. 2020 Vestingcross Hulst. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
Alvarado, with new rainbow-powered wings, outkicked Worst yet again, but this time there were no tears or screams but congratulations and smiles.
The two rivals share a sporting moment. Elite Women. 2020 Vestingcross Hulst. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
The course proved challenging and World Cup-worthy in terrain but also logistically challenging for athletes and media. The small town had little parking and a press center far from the venue, but featured plenty of off-cambers for exciting racing.
Worst, Alvarado and Betsema. The same podium as Middelkerke, but second and third reversed. Elite Women. 2020 Vestingcross Hulst. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
North Americans Rebecca Fahringer (Kona Maxxis Shimano) finished 20th, Emily Werner (Amy D) 29th, and Corey Coogan Cisek (Triple C Racing) 36th.
Note: the official results are below, but the times are clearly off as Worst and Alvarado finished in a sprint. They are Junior Men’s times.
2020 Vestingcross Hulst Results: Elite Women
| Rank | BIB | Last Name | First Name | Country | Age | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | ALVARADO | Ceylin del Carmen | NED | 22 | 0:31:58 |
| 2 | 2 | WORST | Annemarie | NED | 25 | 0:32:51 |
| 3 | 7 | BETSEMA | Denise | NED | 27 | 0:33:04 |
| 4 | 12 | KAY | Anna | GBR | 21 | 0:33:29 |
| 5 | 3 | NORBERT RIBEROLLE | Marion | FRA | 21 | 0:33:41 |
| 6 | 4 | VAN ANROOIJ | Shirin | NED | 18 | 0:33:50 |
| 7 | 24 | VAN LOY | Ellen | BEL | 40 | 0:34:06 |
| 8 | 9 | VAN DER HEIJDEN | Inge | NED | 21 | 0:34:34 |
| 9 | 19 | FRANCK | Alicia | BEL | 26 | 0:34:49 |
| 10 | 6 | BAKKER | Manon | NED | 21 | 0:35:07 |
| 11 | 5 | ARZUFFI | Alice Maria | ITA | 26 | 0:35:21 |
| 12 | 13 | LECHNER | Eva | ITA | 35 | 0:35:26 |
| 13 | 8 | CANT | Sanne | BEL | 30 | 0:35:29 |
| 14 | 27 | VERDONSCHOT | Laura | BEL | 24 | 0:35:39 |
| 15 | 20 | SELS | Loes | BEL | 35 | 0:36:40 |
| 16 | 28 | VERHESTRAETEN | Karen | BEL | 29 | 0:36:54 |
| 17 | 16 | VAN ALPHEN | Aniek | NED | 21 | 0:37:04 |
| 18 | 21 | GARIBOLDI | Rebecca | ITA | 24 | 0:37:17 |
| 19 | 23 | KAPTHEIJNS | Maud | NED | 26 | 0:37:23 |
| 20 | 18 | FAHRINGER | Rebecca | USA | 31 | 0:37:34 |
| 21 | 30 | VAN ANROOIJ | Lindy | NED | 24 | 0:37:49 |
| 22 | 22 | GOOSSENS | Veerle | NED | 27 | 0:38:08 |
| 23 | 46 | TRUYEN | Marthe | BEL | 21 | 0:38:31 |
| 24 | 40 | VOS | Marlies | NED | 19 | 0:38:55 |
| 25 | 26 | VANDERBEKEN | Joyce | BEL | 36 | 0:39:10 |
| 26 | 31 | VAN DER BURG | Esther | NED | 22 | 0:39:27 |
| 27 | 44 | STRATHDEE | Ishbel | GBR | 19 | 0:39:35 |
| 28 | 25 | PAUL | Stefanie | GER | 34 | 0:39:38 |
| 29 | 29 | WERNER | Emily | USA | 27 | 0:40:07 |
| 30 | 37 | VERHOEVEN | Suzanne | BEL | 24 | 0:40:07 |
| 31 | 35 | PEETERS | Jinse | BEL | 21 | 1 Lap |
| 32 | 42 | VAN DER ZWAAN | Laura | NED | 19 | 1 Lap |
| 33 | 38 | VERVLOET | Sterre | BEL | 17 | 1 Lap |
| 34 | 45 | GREENHALGH | Laura | GBR | 35 | 2 Laps |
| 35 | 34 | NOMDEN | Isa | NED | 17 | 2 Laps |
| 36 | 14 | COOGAN CISEK | Corey | USA | 43 | 2 Laps |
| 37 | 33 | MAUS | Laetitia | LUX | 19 | 2 Laps |
| 38 | 36 | STOLK | Noa | NED | 17 | 2 Laps |
| 39 | 39 | VIVEEN | Jacobien | NED | 18 | 3 Laps |
| 40 | 47 | BLANCHAERT | Jo | BEL | 50 | 3 Laps |
