A very nice moment for Sanne Cant. The Belgian champion rode in ‘her’ Herentals for the last time and once again delivered a strong performance. Cant finished fifth, Van Empel took the win.
From the start of the women’s cross, Van Empel, Alvarado, Worst and Brand stated that the first four places would be reserved for Dutch riders. Alvarado made a mistake by first falling during a bicycle change and then jumping next to her saddle. A remarkable moment, which meant she had to chase after her.
Staying flawless was no easy feat. Lucinda Brand also showed this. Van Empel took advantage of it to run away and would not see anyone again. Worst seemed to be in pole position for second place for a while, but had lost her strength too early. Behind winner Van Empel, Brand secured second place in a sprint with Alvarado. Worst came fourth, Cant fifth.
From Empel from the road back to the cross
Van Empel has just completed an internship on the road. That did not prevent her from winning in Herentals. “Technically it is a bit different on a cross bike than on a road bike, I am very happy with how it went. It was important to keep the pressure on throughout the race. It was not to the advantage that there was a target to aim for to ride.”
Van Empel made the difference by making fewer mistakes and thought it was ‘great’ to win in Herentals. Sanne Cant was also certainly satisfied with her results. At the finish she appeared to be upset about the fact that it was her last cross in Herentals. She visibly waved to the audience with some emotion and showed a heart to spectators who showed up.
Tribute to Sanne Cant
After the cross, Cant was also more than rightly honored on the podium. It was great for her that she was able to finish in Herentals by showing an improving form.
