Advertisement

One mistake proved critical in the Elite Women’s race at the 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships on Saturday.

While Dutch superstar and World Cup overall winner Fem van Empel had a clean, fast start and soon took to the front of the race on Lap One, rival Puck Pieterse missed a pedal off the line and found herself chasing just seconds into her battle for the Elite Women’s title. Could the small slip by Pieterse determine the day?

Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Pieterse calmly worked her way back to Van Empel’s wheel on the first lap, overcoming teammates Lucinda Brand, Inge van der Heijden and a fast-starting Italian Siliva Persico.

Pieterse’s superb barrier bunnyhopping helped her close the gap to Van Empel, and after a one-lap delay, fans were treated to the much-anticipated two-woman battle between the two favorites.

The two traded in the lead for two laps, with Van Empel showing her strength on the long climbs and pavement, and Pieterse acing the technical descents and barriers.

Could this be a preview of Sunday’s battle between the two leaders’ male teammates in Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel?

On Lap Two, Persico and Brand briefly made it a leading four, with Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado furiously chasing, hoping to make it five.

Behind, U.S. National Champion Clara Honsinger had a slow start, sitting just outside the top 20, while Canadian Maghalie Rochette started to surge through the field from 20th to close in on the top 10.

One Wrong Turn

While Pieterse looked most comfortable on the descents, it proved to be her downfall.

Early in Lap Four, with Van Empel in the lead, Pieterse slid out on a downhill turn, found herself on the ground, and the race was over.

Brand squeezed by Pieterse, and Van Empel had the gap she needed and hit the turbo.

Van Empel put in the fastest lap of the day, and suddenly had a lead of 17 seconds at the end of Lap Four. It would only grow from there.

She went into time trial mode and was never threatened. As to whether Pieterse had the legs to stay with her without a crash, we’ll never know.

Fem van Empel takes the rainbow jersey. Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Fem van Empel takes the rainbow jersey. Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

“It feels a bit crazy,” Van Empel said after her win. “It’s an emotional victory. I’m very happy, I had the right people behind me.”

Fem van Empel takes the rainbow jersey. Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Fem van Empel takes the rainbow jersey. Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

The only question was who would claim the rest of the medals, and Pieterse pulled away from Brand and would eventually wheelie across the line to silver.

Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Puck Pieterse, Fem van Empel and Lucinda Brand. Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Puck Pieterse, Fem van Empel and Lucinda Brand. Elite Women. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Persico outkicked Alvarado for fourth.

Rochette continued her surge through the field to finish ninth.

Honsinger finished 16th, Team USA’s Raylyn Nuss finished 21st, and Canadian Sidney McGill finished 25th.

See the full results below. Stay tuned for more coverage and photos.

2023 Hoogerheide UCI Cyclocross World Championships Results: Elite Women

PosNrNameTimeGap
1.8VAN EMPEL Fem
NETHERLANDS
54:42-
2.5PIETERSE Puck
NETHERLANDS
55:21+0:39
3.4BRAND Lucinda
NETHERLANDS
55:53+1:11
4.17PERSICO Silvia
ITALY
56:27+1:45
5.2ALVARADO Ceylin del Carmen
NETHERLANDS
56:28+1:46
6.9WORST Annemarie
NETHERLANDS
56:56+2:14
7.7VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge
NETHERLANDS
57:18+2:36
8.3BETSEMA Denise
NETHERLANDS
57:23+2:41
9.16ROCHETTE Maghalie
CANADA
57:37+2:55
10.11CLAUZEL Hélène
FRANCE
57:44+3:02
11.24VAS Kata Blanka
HUNGARY
57:48+3:06
12.18CASASOLA Sara
ITALY
57:50+3:08
13.22NORBERT RIBEROLLE Marion
BELGIUM
58:03+3:21
14.21FRANCK Alicia
BELGIUM
58:24+3:42
15.23VERDONSCHOT Laura
BELGIUM
59:14+4:32
16.13HONSINGER Clara
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
59:24+4:42
17.10BAKKER Manon
NETHERLANDS
59:35+4:53
18.32KAY Anna
GREAT BRITAIN
59:43+5:01
19.25GONZALEZ BLANCO Lucia
SPAIN
1:00:06+5:24
20.12CLAUZEL Perrine
FRANCE
1:00:25+5:43
21.14NUSS Raylyn
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
1:00:31+5:49
22.27BARHOUMI Zina
SWITZERLAND
1:01:16+6:34
23.34OGAWA Sae
JAPAN
1:01:23+6:41
24.26RODRIGUEZ REVERT Sofia
SPAIN
1:01:59+7:17
25.15MCGILL Sidney
CANADA
-1 LAP
26.29BELFORTH Emma
SWEDEN
-1 LAP
27.30HEIGL Nadja
AUSTRIA
-2 LAP
28.31BIALEK Antonina
POLAND
-2 LAP

Featured photo: UCI