Puck Pieterse conquered her second gold medal on the Dutch National Cyclocross Championships on Sunday, soloing house after a dramatic first-lap assault.
Silver went to Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, comfortably forward of third-placed Denise Betseman, who overtook Marianne Vos within the remaining lap to clinch the ultimate place on the rostrum.
Two key contenders, World Champion Fem van Empel and defending Dutch National Champion Lucinda Brand have been each lacking from the beginning line at Oisterwijk. But Pieterse nonetheless needed to see off some formidable rivals nonetheless.
A silver medallist final 12 months and the winner in 2023, Pieterse’s newest Championships victory provides one more spectacular milestone to the 22-year-old’s nonetheless incipient profession.
How it unfolded
Racing in dry however chilly climate, a gap lap noticed Leonie van Bentveld make a transfer, however Pieterse delivered a trademark early assault to go clear on the muddy, technical course. The riders had not even headed by way of the beginning/end space earlier than the Fenix-Deceuninck star opened up a six-second hole on a chase group comprising Vos, Bentveld and Alvarado.
Hitting the bottom working so emphatically so early compelled her rivals on the defensive, and as Pieterse doubled her benefit, the race had barely begun earlier than it appeared just like the battle for gold was over. Vos and Alvarado’s tussle for second place was a extra unsure one, with neither chaser giving floor within the second lap after Alvarado bridged again over to an erratically firing Visma-Lease a Bike racer, whereas Bentveld and Betsema battled for third.
After three laps, Pieterse was clearly in a category of her personal, carving out a bonus of over 30 seconds on the closest pursuer Alvarado. Vos, although, appeared to be fading considerably and after dropping contact with Alvarado by lap three, she reportedly all however halted within the remaining lap. Bentveld, too, was in difficulties and ended the race in sixth, however that was nonetheless sufficient to safe her the Espoirs National Champion’s title.
Pieterse although, had no such difficulties, storming house alone for her second win of the 2024-2025 season by a hefty 1:11 benefit over Alvarado and giving her father a large celebratory hug as she crossed the road. Betsema didn’t throw within the towel, both and got here house at 1:35, with Vos lagging by one other fifteen seconds, 1:50 again. But the brutal actuality was that one rider – Pieterse – had been head and shoulders above the remainder of the sector from virtually the phrase go.
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