Vos wins Rucphen World Cup as Rochette has a tough day in the Netherlands
Vos prevails in the two-up sprint with series leader Lucinda Brand
Marianne Vos beat World Cup leader Lucinda Brand in a two-up sprint to take her third round of the 2021-2022 series on Saturday in Rucphen, the Netherlands. Maghalie Rochette’s sweet streak of two World Cup podiums and a fourth place in the Superprestige series’ Boom round came to an abrupt end on Saturday, as the Canadian could only manage 23rd, her lowest result of the season. After the mudfest of the Superprestige Boom course and the snow of Val di Sole, Rucphen was a fast course: “Positioning will be very important today,” Rochette said before the race. There were no fans in Rucphen.
You can watch the 2021-2022 UCI Cyclocross World Cup at FloBikes.
World Cup leader Lucinda Brand was back after missing Val di Sole for a training block; she was looking for her fourth World Cup victory of the season. Canada’s Siobhan Kelly was racing again too.
Despite two consecutive World Cup podiums, Rochette started from the second row. Marianne Vos took the hole shot on Lap 1. Congestion had Rochette down in 20th soon after the gun. Vos popped out of the spiraling carousel with Brand on her wheel, Val di Sole winner Fem van Empel third and Puck Pieterse fourth. These four Dutch athletes made a leading quartet. Rochette had a lot of work to do. McGill was 33th and Kelly 57th.
Brand was at the business end of the quartet heading into Lap 2. A gap formed between the duo of Brand and Vos and that of van Empel and Pieterse. Rochette was sifting farther down the string. Annemarie Worst and Denise Betsema were the quartet’s closest pursuers.
The Dutch quartet carried on on Lap 3 of 7. Pieterse dangled at the back, while Betsema and Worst edged closer and tagged on to make a sextet before the line.
Betsema, only 8 points off of Brand’s World Cup lead, grabbed the wheel and led on Lap 4. Pieterse and Worst were a little lagging at the finish line. Rochette was 25th, McGill 41st and Kelly 55th.
Betsema was determined to be the engine of the train on Lap 5, with Worst the caboose. Vos, Brand and Betsema were shoulder to shoulder at one point, but Betsema wouldn’t concede.
The Dutch sextet entered the penultimate lap. Would the big move come on this circuit? Van Empel took the reins in the carousel as Worst once more dangled off the back. Betsema went back to the front before Vos seized the lead and then turned up the pace. This split the group, Vos, Betsema and Brand in front.
Brand snatched the lead in bell lap‘s carousel, Betsema having to catch back up. It looked like it was going to be Brand vs Vos for the victory. Vos had to unclip and this gave Brand the advantage. Vos came out of the barriers in the lead but again she unclipped and immediately lost ground. However, she caught up in the last corner and it would be a two-up sprint for the win with Vos prevailing. Betsema rounded out the podium.
The next round is Sunday in Namur, Belgium for the hilly Citadelcross. Sixteen Canadians will race in the elite, U23 and Junior competitions.
2021-2022 UCI ‘Cross World Cup, Round 11, Rucphen
1) Marianne Vos (The Netherlands/Jumbo-Visma) 54:14
2) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) s.t.
3) Denise Betsema (The Netherlands/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +0:08
23) Maghalie Rochette (Canada/Specialized) +3:37
45) Sidney McGill (Canada) +6:50
55) Siobhan Kelly (Canada)
