Rochette still second in World Cup after Round 3 in Switzerland

Maghalie Rochette’s eleventh place in Sunday’s third round of the UCI ‘cross World Cup in Bern, Switzerland was her first round of the 2019-2020 series outside the top-10, but she retains second place overall to Czech Katerina Nash. Both the women and men’s elite races were dominated by the winners, with Annemarie Worst (The Netherlands) taking her first World Cup win and Eli Iserbyt (Belgium) still rolling with three straight victories.

? Congratulations to the CX European Champion, Annemarie Worst ?? on her victory in the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Bern ????? pic.twitter.com/zjlUU4VSBH

— UEC_cycling (@UEC_cycling) October 20, 2019

As in Waterloo, Wisconsin’s second round a month ago, conditions were very muddy.

If ya want mud, ya got it. #telenetucicx #bern #cyclocross pic.twitter.com/9tAMaUyBV4

— Mark Legg ???? (@MrKatieCompton) October 20, 2019

In the elite women’s race, Rochette pulled a leading group on Lap 1 of five, but started to fade. Worst took over and never looked back, winning by 33-seconds over rising Dutch star Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. It was a fine race for the youth, with Brit Anna Kay taking her first World Cup podium and another Dutch rider, Yara Kastelijn, fifth.

Belgian world champion Sanne Cant placed eighth with Nash just ahead of her. Nash’s gap back to Rochette is now 23-points.

With Mathieu van der Poel resting a bit after his road season and Wout Van Aert still on the mend, Eli Iserbyt is providing the excitement in the elite men‘s side. In his first season at the elite level, he has won all three of the opening rounds and leads last season’s Cup winner Toon Aerts (Belgium) by thirty points.

Foot out flat out for @IserbytEli as he drives the pace at the head of the race in Bern ??. #TelenetUCICXWC pic.twitter.com/G7ZxIcuwQt

— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) October 20, 2019

The next round is a month away in Tabor, Czech Republic.