Saturday’s fifth round of the 2024-2025 UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Hulst, the Netherlands, saw Canada’s Rafaelle Carrier win the Junior women’s race after four laps of a tricky, rainy, muddy course, 31 seconds ahead of a Czech rider. In the elite women’s contest, Luxembourger Marie Schreiber took a huge win. Runner-up Lucinda Brand increased her series lead, and Schreiber moved over the absent Fem van Empel into second overall. The top Canadian was Ava Holmgren in 15th, and her twin Bella came 20th.
Last Sunday at the Namur round, Junior national champion Carrier placed 19th in the elite women’s race. Carrier was sitting third in the Junior women’s overall standings before Saturday, having come third in Dublin. Now she leads the category, 10 points ahead of France’s Lison Desprez. Another Canadian, Nico Knoll, came 12th in the Hulst Junior women’s race.
Elite Women Preliminaries
Last Sunday in Namur Brand pulled clear of van Empel at the top of the general classification by placing second to Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. Van Empel was out of the weekend’s action after a recon crash. Puck Pieterse looked strong in her Namur season debut.
The Canadian contingent was considerable: Isabella and Ava Holmgren, Sidney McGill, Katja Verkerk, Siobhan Kelly, Christiane Bilodeau, Katelyn Walcroft, Mia De Martin and Dorothee Perron.
As usual, Schreiber claimed the hole shot on Lap 1Blanka Vas on her six. Zoe Backstedt fought her was into Position 2. Pieterse had to grab a new bike, as her gears seemed to be jammed. Scheiber’s lead was seven seconds after the first circuit. Ava was top Canadian in 19th, while Sidney McGill was 29th.
The order was Schreiber, Backstedt, Vas, Pieterse, Brand in the first half of Lap 2. Alvarado was seventh. Schreiber was still going great guns. Pieterse grabbed the third spot on the tricky course and Brand started to charge. Scheiber had a 28-second gap going into the third lap. Ava had moved up to 12th, McGill was 28th and Isabella was 30th.
Vas disappeared from the main chase on Lap 3 of 6 but Inge van der Heijden and Annemarie Worst acted as her replacements. Backstedt jumped on a fresh machine. Brand wanted to chase alone. Van der Heijden slipped past Pieterse into third. At the midpoint of the race Schreiber led Brand, van der Heijden and Pieterse by 23 seconds. Ava was 11th, Isabella 25th and McGill 27th.
Schreiber pitted in the first half of Lap 4. Worst found the tail end of the Brand group, which chipped away at the Luxembourger’s lead. Brand and Pieterse engaged in their own personal skirmish for the podium positions. Ava was now in 12th, Bella 24th and McGill 30th.
On the penultimate lapBrand started to push clear, but Pieterse and Worst battled back gamely. Van der Heijden struggled to keep contact. Alvarado looked to be in pain back in eighth place. By the time they heard the bell Brand was eight seconds ahead of Pieterse. Ava was 12th, Isabella 23rd and McGill 31st.
Schreiber looked clear and gone on the bell lapbut Brand and Pieterse carried on throwing haymakers. Brand had a good advantage when she crashed on the downhill and stayed away to earn the runner-up spot.
The next round is tomorrow in Zonhoven, Belgium.
2024-2025 UCI World Cup Round 5 Hulst, Elite Women
1) Marie Schreiber (Luxembourg/SD Worx-Protime) 53:45
2) Lucinda Brand (The Netherland/Baloise-Trek Lions) +0:20
3) Puck Pieterse (The Netherlands/Fenix-Deceuninck) +0:28
15) Ava Holmgren (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +3:31
20) Isabella Holmgren (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +4:41
31) Sidney McGill (Canada) +7:05
63) Mia De Martin (Canada)
75) Siobhan Kelly (Canada)
80) Christiane Bilodeau (Canada)
81) Katelyn Walcroft (Canada)
83) Dorothee Perron (Canada)
84) Katja Verkerk (Canada)
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