Lucinda Brand claims ‘cross World Cup opener in Tabor
Rochette takes eleventh
The day after she won the second round of the X20 Badkamers Trofee, Lucinda Brand was victorious in the first round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup on Sunday in Tabor, Czech Republic, skipping away from her compatriot Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado on the third of six laps. Maghalie Rochette was down as far as 19th but fought to eleventh.
The 2020-2021 World Cup was originally supposed be 14 events, but COVID-19 concerns saw eight events cancelled. This left five events to ride and the World Championships.
November 29: Tabor, Czech Republic
December 20: Namur, Belgium
December 27: Dendermonde, Belgium
January 3: Hulst, the Netherlands
January 24: Overijse, Belgium
January 30/31: World Championships in Oostende, Belgium
Rochette avoided a crash soon after the start and was fifth in the first kilometre. French rider Perrine Clauzel nabbed an early lead. By the end of the first of six 3.5-km laps, Denise Betsema crossed the line in the front, Rochette 12th.
In Lap 2 Betsema continued to pull along a small, mostly-Dutch group containing world champion Alvarado, Brand, Annemarie Worst, Puck Pieterse and Hungarian Kata Vas.
Brand, who has two Superprestige wins and one X20 Badkamers Trofee triumph so far this season, surged to the front on Lap 3, with Alvarado grabbing her wheel. Rochette was down to 19th.
Brand gapped Alvarado before the beginning of Lap 4 and finished it 12 seconds ahead of her main rival. Behind the duo, Betsema, Worst and Vas battled for third place.
Brand pulled out more of a gap on Lap 5. Rochette hauled her way up to 13th.
It was clear on the bell lap that the only contest remaining was for third, which Betsema took from Vas. Rochette battled to eleventh.
2020-2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Round 1, Elite Women
1) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Telenet Baloise Lions) 53:43
2) Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Fenix) +0:24
3) Denise Betsema (The Netherlands/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +0:32
11) Magahlie Rochette (Canada/Specialized Racing) +1:55
