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Puck Pieterse mastered the sand to take a 3rd 2023-2024 World Cup victory at Zonhoven forward of Inge van der Heijden and Zoe Backstedt in a race overshadowed by a heavy crash for Lucinda Model while main the sector.
Model skidded closely on a left-hand bend at velocity on the third lap, injuring her face and leaving the race on foot instantly afterwards.
Pieterse had endured a troublesome begin, puncturing on the primary lap, however was in a position to struggle again and transfer into the lead when Model crashed.
The Dutchwoman claimed her second straight World Cup victory in consequence and moved as much as second total within the sequence. Afterwards, she recognised that luck had performed a component in her newest win while wishing Model all one of the best for a speedy restoration.
“I had a flat again tyre at the beginning, so I simply tried to remain near the entrance and that chasing again took a little bit of power out of me,” she stated.
“Then immediately I noticed Lucinda standing on a nook, and I assumed she had a mechanical or one thing.
“However a number of corners later, I might see she nonetheless wasn’t there anymore. That was a little bit of luck for me, in fact, however I hope all the things is ok along with her.”
The way it unfolded
On a bitterly chilly day in East Belgium, Pieterse was shortly within the lead of the 57-rider area, however the Dutchwoman was unlucky sufficient to puncture early on, giving Model a free hand to maneuver into the lead place.
Model gave it all the things she might early on, taking a gradual line via the sand, in search of the harder-packed sections, and gaining 12 seconds on Backstedt and Van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) by the tip of the primary lap of six.
Pieterse was closing in on fourth at that time after her unfortunate early begin, and she or he moved onto the provisional podium shortly afterwards. However after two laps, the hole between Model and PIeterse nonetheless stood at 19 seconds, seemingly making bridging that hole a troublesome ask.
Pieterse was not giving up, although, dropping Backstedt shortly after the third descent of the daunting downhill sandpit, going all the best way to the corners on her bike quite than dismounting and preserving inside rivalry of Model. Simply because it appeared that Model had it in management, she crashed badly, skidding very closely at velocity on a lefthand bend on lap three and permitting Pieterse to maneuver into the highest spot within the race.
Clutching her nostril in ache, Model was clearly out of the race, calling for medics and strolling off the course surrounded by involved crew helpers and officers. Pieterse, in the meantime, crossed the end line for a fourth time with an eight-second benefit over Van der Heijden and Backstedt.
Van der Heijden’s quickest third lap, three seconds up on PIeterse, didn’t bode properly for the main Dutchwoman, notably as Backstedt pale barely within the second half of the race, however actually Pieterse was in storming kind. Having received her final three races, two of them World Cups, negotiating the daunting sandy descents with breathtaking talent and sustaining her velocity on the draggy rises with the odd post-push, the hole remained slim however stable right through lap 5 and lap six.
“Issues had been okay by that time. I had a little bit of problem within the sand, however I attempted to play it secure on the descents as a result of you may get actually excessive with all of the individuals cheering you on, and also you wish to go actually quick. I do know, although, it’s higher to remain secure than to crash,” Pieterse stated later.
Pieterse crossed the road with a bonus of 24 seconds on Van der Heijden and 41 on Backstedt, with Van der Heijden saying she was greater than delighted along with her second place. “I might go full gasoline all the best way and didn’t have issues on the sand, I took it straightforward on the downhills, and I actually stunned myself. It is a bit like a victory for me,” she stated.
Already the winner at Hexia Gullegem this weekend on a really completely different, mud-filled course, Backstedt was equally happy, though additionally remembering Model regardless of her private satisfaction.
“I’m chilly now, however give me ten minutes I’ll be over the moon about this,” Backstedt stated afterwards. “I used to be in slightly little bit of a damage field, so I’m actually joyful to get third, I additionally would have been pleased with fourth, however sadly, Lucinda crashed, and I want her a speedy restoration.”
Outcomes
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