[Cyclo-cross] Marie Schreiber 12th in the Dendermonde quagmire

The 8th round of the Cyclo-cross World Cup went to the former Dutch world champion Lucinda Brand, untenable at the moment. The Luxembourger Marie Schreiber takes 12th place.

Rain and mud. Lots of mud. A route to be completed six times. The th round of the Cyclo-cross World Cup proved to be unforgiving. And if we saw the world champion Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) take the lead at the start, flanked by Marie Schreiber (SD Worx-Protime), from the first lap, everything was shattered.

We will not review the number of slips. It was not so much technically as physically that the selection was made.

Very quickly, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) who then suffered a fall, and Puck Pieterse (Alpecin) broke away. The Englishwoman Zoe Backstedt (Canyon) leader of the hopefuls ranking and another Dutchwoman, Manon Bakker (Crelan) were positioned for the third step of the podium.

But little by little, Fem Van Empel caught up, but in front of the duo Pieterse-Brand was not amusing the field in terrible conditions. The running games turned into walking.

Finally, it was on the penultimate lap that Fem Van Empel stole second place from Puck Pieterse. But Van Empel suffered a puncture on the last lap.

As for Marie Schreiber, after her cold which penalized her in Besançon last week (18th place), she held on as best as possible on a circuit which did not suit her. For a long time, it remained positioned in 12th position.

In the general classification of the World Cup, Lucinda Brand, who was leader, obviously widens the gaps.

The ranking: 1. Lucinda Brand (NED/Baloise Trek Lions) in 53’08; 2. Puck Pieterse (NED/Alpecin) to 30 sec; 3. Fem Van Empel (NED/Visma-Lease a Bike) 41; 4. Manon Bakker (NED/Crelan) 1’26; 5. Zoe Backstedt (GBR/Canyon) 1’49; 6. Inge Van der Heijden (NED/Apecin) 2’26; 6. Leonie Bentveld (NED/Pauwels Sauzen Bingoal) 2’26; 8.3 Marion Norbert Riberolle (BEL/Crelan) 3’09; 9. Sanne Cant (BEL/Crelan) 3’11; 10. Denise Betsema (NED/Pauwels Sauzen Bingoal) 3’13; 11. Blanca Vas (HON/SD Worx-Protime) 4’43; 12. Marie Schreiber (LUX/SD Worx-Protime) 4’46…