It is one of the most famous and atypical cyclo-crosses on the calendar: the traditional dunes cyclo-cross – also called Flemish Duinencross – takes place this Friday, January 3 in Koksijde, an event counting for the 6th round of the X2O Bathrooms Trophy. Contested in fairly mild conditions, but on a course that was still difficult with numerous pedestrian and sandy sections, the race, like two days ago in Baal, was summed up in a beautiful three-way battle between Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike), Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck)… and for the first time this winter, this time it was the last named who showed herself to be the strongest of the Dutch to achieve her first victory this season!
Video – Puck Pieterse, winner of the 2024 Women’s Tour de France
Puck Pieterse untouchable in the sand, Lucinda Brand remains largely leader
Impressive from the start, the best youngster and winner of a stage of the last Tour de France Women made the difference in the first part of the race. Alone Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) was initially able to follow her pace before exploding, leaving the young 22-year-old runner to take the lead with a 30-second lead at mid-race over the duo. Brand et Van Empel. A gap that she will manage perfectly until the finish, Pieterse thus signing his first success of the cyclo-cross season in six races contested.
Behind it is Lucinda Brand who took over a Fem van Empel visibly not at ease this Friday in the sand, even though she had three successes in a row and had crushed the event last year. A result which allows the Dutch champion to largely keep the lead in the overall standings. X2O Trofeealmost 10 minutes ahead of Van Empel two stages from the end.
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