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After a fast, dry UCI Cyclocross World Cup race in Benidorm, Spain, the racing remained fast again in Spain.

Although some top racers skipped the event to remain closer to Worlds, many North Americans made the trip as a final tune-up for the championships in Hoogerheide next weekend.

Elite Women

During the first lap of the final World Cup Elite Women’s race, it looked like a parade of National Champions, with the champion’s jerseys from the Netherlands, Great Britain, Hungary, Luxembourg and France all amassing at the front.

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Dutch Champ Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Deceuninck) entered the 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup finale in Besançon without her other “Young Three” rivals, but she showed that she wasn’t in France for a leisurely Sunday Ride.

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

The young Dutch star soon hit the front of the race, but a chain drop slowed her march to victory.

Pieterse remained calm, pulled aside to avoid blocking competitors, and then methodically returned to the front, hopping the barriers and the pump track, and putting on a show while dropping her competitors.

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Behind, it was the 777 duo of Annemarie Worst and Inge Van der Heijden working together to limit the damage and secure the final podium spots.

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

British champ Zoe Backstedt took fourth, the top U23 on the day.

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

French National Champ Hélène Clauzel raced to ninth in front of her many fans.

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

See Pieterse’s chain issue below:

American Clara Honsinger had her second unlucky World Cup in a row, crashing on the first lap and pulling out of the race.

See the race highlights below, with full results at the bottom.

Worst, Pieterse and Van der Heijden. Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Worst, Pieterse and Van der Heijden. Elite Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Junior Women

It was another Canadian domination in the Junior Women’s race, with the Holmgren sisters taking two of the three podium steps and the win.

Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Ava Holmgren took the victory, outsprinting Belgian VAN Xaydee van Sinaey, with Isabella following in third.

Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Besancon, France. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Vida Lopez de San Ramon was the top American, finishing in 12th.

 

2023 Besancon UCI Cyclocross World Cup Results: Elite Women

RankNameNatTeamTimeGap
1PIETERSE PuckNEDALPECIN-DECEUNINCK45:21
2WORST AnnemarieNED77745:58+0:37
3VAN DER HEIJDEN, IngeNED77746:04+0:43
4* BACKSTEDT ZoeGBREF EDUCATION - TIBCO - SVB46:23+1:02
5VAS Kata BlankaHUNTEAM SD WORX46:30+1:09
6* SCHREIBER MarieLUXTORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM46:31+1:10
7BAKKER ManonNEDCRELAN - FRISTADS46:31+1:10
8BETSEMA DeniseNEDPAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL46:32+1:11
9CLAUZEL HélèneFRAAS BIKE RACING46:39+1:18
10NORBERT RIBEROLLE MarionBELCRELAN - FRISTADS46:45
11VAN ALPHEN AniekNED77746:52+1:31
12ROCHETTE MaghalieCANSpecialized Feedback47:05+1:44
13* ZEMANOVÁ KristýnaCZEBRILON RACING TEAM MB47:13
14FRANCK AliciaBELBELGIUM47:40
15* BURQUIER LineFRAFRANCE47:55
16BARONI FrancescaITAPISSEI - GROEP T.O.M48:11+2:50
17* FOUQUENET AmandineFRA48:12
18VERDONSCHOT LauraBELBELGIUM48:12+2:51
19CASASOLA SaraITASELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE48:13+2:52
20CLAUZEL PerrineFRAAS BIKE RACING48:32+3:11
21GONZALEZ BLANCO LuciaESPNESTA - MMR CX TEAM48:38+3:17
22LECHNER EvaITAITALY48:46+3:25
23GARIBOLDI RebeccaITAITALY48:53+3:32
24* MUNRO MadiganUSATREK FACTORY RACING CX49:01+3:40
25* MACLEAN-HOWELL EllaGBRGREAT BRITAIN49:02+3:41
26NUSS RaylynUSAUNITED STATES OF AMERICA49:08+3:47
27* DURAFFOURG LaurianeFRAFRANCE49:30+4:09
28* BROUWERS JulieBELBELGIUM49:34+4:13
29KILLIPS AustinUSANICE BIKES49:53+4:32
30RODRIGUEZ REVERT SofiaESPNESTA - MMR CX TEAM49:53+4:32
31* ZONTONE AsiaITAITALY50:05+4:44
32* GUNSALUS LizzyUSAUNITED STATES OF AMERICA50:09+4:48
33MCGILL SidneyCANCANADA50:25:00
34* KRAHL JudithGERHEIZOMAT RADTEAM P/B KLOSTER KITCHEN50:31+5:10
35* JERÁBKOVÁ BáraCZEBRILON RACING TEAM MB50:47+5:26
36PEETERS JinseBELPROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - DOLTCINI CT51:04+5:43
37* HLADÍKOVÁ KaterinaCZEBRILON RACING TEAM MB51:07+5:46
38* GALLEZOT ElectaFRAPODIOCOM CX51:28+6:07
39* BORELLO CarlottaITAITALY51:35+6:14
40TRABAZO BRAGADO IreneESPSPAIN51:37+6:16
41DOBBELAERE JanaBELBELGIUM51:44+6:23
42WEINGARTEN AudreyFRASORIUS52:09+6:48
43* BRIAND ManonFRAARDENNES CROSS TEAM GECIBAT52:21+7:00
44* BARTHELS MaïtéLUXLUXEMBOURG52:27+7:06
45PETIT MarlèneFRAPODIOCOM CX52:36+7:15
46WERNER EmilyUSAUNITED STATES OF AMERICA52:49+7:28
47* WENZEL LivLUXLUXEMBOURG53:31+8:10
48* DEVIGNE CamilleFRAFRANCE-1 LAP
49* ONESTI OliviaFRAFRANCELAP
51TREPTE EvelyneSUISWITZERLAND-1 LAP
52* BILODEAU ChristianeCANCANADA-2 LAP
53MALIK JenniferUSAUNITED STATES OF AMERICA-2 LAP
54MULLER CyrianeFRATEAM CX TPM-2 LAP
55* JAQUET PriscaSUISWITZERLAND-2 LAP
HONSINGER ClaraUSAEF EDUCATION - TIBCO - SVBDNF

2023 Besancon UCI Cyclocross World Cup Results: Junior Women

PosNrName / UCI Cyclocross TeamNATTimeGap
1.6HOLMGREN Ava
CANADA
CAN40:59-
2.37VAN SINAEY Xaydee
BELGIUM
BEL41:00+0:01
3.7HOLMGREN Isabella
CANADA
CAN41:01+0:02
4.25GERY Célia
FRANCE
FRA41:08+0:09
5.23VENTURELLI Federica
ITALY
ITA42:01+1:02
6.3FERGUSON Cat
GREAT BRITAIN
GBR42:14+1:15
7.5WOLFF Imogen
GREAT BRITAIN
GBR42:21+1:22
8.34DE SCHEPPER Lore
BELGIUM
BEL42:31+1:32
9.22CORVI Valentina
ITALY
ITA42:40+1:41
10.13DLASKOVÁ Vanda
CZECH REPUBLIC
CZE43:10+2:11
11.18LANGENBARG Puck
NETHERLANDS
NED43:22+2:23
12.10LOPEZ DE SAN ROMAN Vida
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
USA43:23+2:24
13.15HANÁKOVÁ Eliška
CZECH REPUBLIC
CZE43:23+2:24
14.19SONNEMANS Sara
NETHERLANDS
NED43:49+2:50
15.2CARRICK-ANDERSON Emily
GREAT BRITAIN
GBR43:55+2:56
16.35DE SCHOESITTER Shanyl
BELGIUM
BEL44:10+3:11
17.38FILGUEIRAS BARCENILLA Maria
SPAIN
ESP44:20+3:21
18.29MARASCO Margot
FRANCE
FRA44:22+3:23
19.44KABETAJ Nelia
ALBANIA
ALB44:22+3:23
20.24CORABOEUF Lea
FRANCE
FRA44:28+3:29
21.16NOVÁKOVÁ Karla
CZECH REPUBLIC
CZE44:32+3:33
22.41BUNEA Wendy
ROMANIA
ROU44:35+3:36
23.33REYNIER Romane
FRANCE
FRA44:35+3:36
24.14DOUDEROVÁ Katerina
CZECH REPUBLIC
CZE44:35+3:36
25.12SCOTT Samantha
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
USA44:57+3:58
26.43UNGEROVÁ Sofia
SLOVAKIA
SVK45:06+4:07
27.31MOULIN Anaïs
FRANCE
FRA45:20+4:21
28.30MENAGER Loane
FRANCE
FRA45:28+4:29
29.17KALIS Bloeme
NETHERLANDS
NED45:29+4:30
30.11MUSGRAVE Kaya
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
USA45:38+4:39
31.28KLAES Lise
FRANCE
FRA45:50+4:51
32.39BRÄUTIGAM Messane
GERMANY
GER46:23+5:24
33.27JOUAULT Ambre
FRANCE
FRA46:28+5:29
34.40SCHMITZ Anouk
LUXEMBOURG
LUX46:39+5:40
35.26GIRAUD Camille
FRANCE
FRA46:41+5:42
36.8POLLOCK Madeleine
CANADA
CAN47:47+6:48
37.20TAKKEN Roxanne
NETHERLANDS
NED48:02+7:03
38.9RODGERS Geza
CANADA
CAN48:57+7:58
39.4MCKINNON Elizabeth
GREAT BRITAIN
GBR-1 LAP
40.42SMATANOVÁ Ema
SLOVAKIA
SVK-1 LAP
21BIANCHI Arianna
ITALY
ITADNF