Another fine European result for Ava Holmgren, Brand earns 13th win of the season at X2O Badkamers Trofee
Rochette still hasn't returned to action
Sixteen-year-old Canadian Ava Holmgren is having a fine cyclocross December in Europe, as she made her third consecutive top 7 result in Junior women’s races on Thursday. Holmgren was sixth in the third round of the X2O Badkamers Trofee Junior race at Azencross in Loenhout, Belgium. Denise Betsema kept her lead in the series even though her main rival Lucinda Brand took the win, her fourth straight and 13th on the season. Maghalie Rochette still hasn’t returned to action after a DNF at the Dendermonde World Cup and a non-start at Superprestige Heusden-Zolder due to illness. Sidney McGill was top Canadian in 33rd.
The 2021-2022 X2O Badkamers Trofee So Far
Unlike the World Cup and Superprestige series, the X2O Badkamers Trofee standings are based on time instead of points. Although the World Cup and Superprestige competitions are nearing their ends, before Thursday the X2O Trofee had only run two out of eight rounds. American Clara Honsinger took the first race in Oudenaarde and Brand prevailed in Kortrijk. However, it was Betsema who was at the top of the table going into Thursday’s race, 1:33 ahead of Brand. Rochette was 10th, +5:58, after coming 8th in Kortrijk.
Ava and Canadian contingent in the earlier races
By claiming sixth on Thursday, Ava Holmgren matched her accomplishment at the Dendermonde World Cup. Holmgren also placed 7th in the Namur World Cup. Her one elite race in Europe, the Heusden-Zolder Superprestige round, saw her come 50th. At Azencross, Ava’s twin Isabella was 13th, while Jeneya Francis was also in the top-10 at 8th. Kiara Lylyk came in 30th.
Ian Ackert was top Canadian in the Junior men’s race at 13th, and his compatriot Luke Valenti also crashed the top-20 at 18th. Alexander Woolford placed 41st and Sasha Renaud Trembley came 67th. The best Canadian performance in the U23 mens’ race was Matthew Liliveld in 49th; Hugo Brisebois was 73rd.
Shirin van Androoij and Betsema emerged from the muddy start in the lead. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Annemarie Worst and Lucinda Brand were the closest chasers at the start of Lap 1. Betsema gapped van Androoij for a stretch in order to nab a few bonus seconds but they crossed the line together with Brand.
Worst toiled to make a leading quartet on Lap 2 of 5. Brand went to the front and rode where her competition had to run. Worst finally made the junction just before Betsema burst clear and finished the lap with a 5-second lead.
Van Androoij was Betsema’s closest pursuer on the middle lap. Worst fell back as Brand and van Androoij drew nearer. The trio crossed the line together with Worst ten seconds behind.
On the penultimate lap Brand didn’t pit. Worst continued to labour in the gap between the leading trio and a chase containing Alvarado and Sanne Cant.
On the bell lap van Androiij fell back a little. Brand dashed away and wouldn’t relinquish the lead but would only make up five seconds overall on Betsema.
The next round is GP Sven Nys in Baal on New Year’s Day.
2021-2022 X2O Badkamers Trofee, Round 3, Azencross
1) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) 46:33
2) Denise Betsema (The Netherlands/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +0:15
3) Shirin van Androoij (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) +0:33
33) Sidney McGill (Canada) +6:29
64) Siobhan Kelly (Canada)
73) Christiane Bilodeau (Canada)
