The Dutch go three for three at Worlds, with van Empel claiming the U23 women’s title

Dutch domination continued at the 2021 UCI Cyclocross in Ostend, Belgium on Sunday, with Fem van Empel emerging from a strong trio of orange-clad riders to claim the U23 women’s title. The Dutch have taken all three titles so far, Lucinda Brand and Pim Ronhaar having triumphed on Saturday.

The Pre-race Favourites

The 2020 champion, Marion Norbert Riberolle of France, couldn’t quite reach the podium in this season’s World Cup, Superprestige and X2O Trofee series. Last season’s silver medalist Kata Blanka Vas of Hungary finished fifth overall in the elite women’s World Cup. Manon Bakker (The Netherlands) podiumed in her last two races, rounds of the X2O Trofee and World Cup. Puck Pieteres (The Netherlands), last year’s junior runner-up, and 2020 U23 bronze medalist Anna Kay were outside threats. Last year Ruby West was ninth; her best result this season was 13th in the second round of the X2O Trofee.

The Course

The distinguishing feature of the Ostend course was a long beach section right after the start, one that required a lot of running. A 20 percent grade bridge tested the riders as well. The second half of the 2.9 km circuit was tricky, and caused plenty of grief for riders on Saturday. It was another cold day on the coast, but no rain and less wind.

West and Sidney McGill were delayed on the first flyover when a French rider came to a halt. Blanka Vas, Inge van der Heijden, van Empel, Kay and her compatriot Josie Nelson were the early leaders. Van der Heijden put some space between herself and the others, Blanka Vas, van Empel and Aniek van Alphen her closest pursuers. Van der Heijden’s gap was five seconds after Lap 1. West was 15th.

On Lap 2, van der Heijden chipped out a bigger gap. Blanka Vas remained the only rider capable of ruining the Dutch party. West dropped down to 17th, while McGill was 26th.

The third lap was also the penultimate lap. Blanka Vas finally brought the others over to van der Heijden and started to pull the new quartet. With three Dutch riders for company could the Hungarian “pull an Ian Stannard”? Van Alphen attacked when they heard the bell.

Van der Heijden began to lag behind on the bell lap. Van Empel and van Alphen put Blanka Vas behind them. Van der Heijden came up to the Hungarian and looked likely to nab the final podium position but disappeared in the final third of the lap.

Ruby West placed 21st and McGill came 27th.

2021 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, U23 Women
Gold) Fem van Empel (The Netherlands)
Silver) Aniek van Alphen (The Netherlands)
Bronze) Kata Blanka Vas (Hungary)
21) Ruby West (Canada)
27) Sidney McGill (Canada)