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A Hoogerheide holeshot mattered little to two Canadian sisters in the Junior Women’s race at the 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships Saturday.

The first individual race of the weekend brought slicker and wetter conditions than the riders faced in Friday’s fast team relay event.

World Cup overall winner Lauren Molengraaf of the Netherlands, who won every World Cup she entered, had a fast start and looked to continue her dominance, while Canadian contenders, Ava and Isabella Holmgren, were well back through the technical sections on Lap One.

Ava Holmgren moved through the field, while American first-year Junior Vida Lopez de San Ramon and Isabella Holmgren worked their way into the top ten.

On Lap Two, Molengraaf crashed while in the lead just before a flyover, as Ava and then Isabella Holmgren surged past, but she remounted and chased back to slot between the two Canadian sisters.

Isabella took the lead on Lap Three ahead of sister Ava, forcing Molengraaf to chase.

Suddenly, Molengraaf’s misfortune wasn’t over. Disaster struck the young Dutch star in the form of a flat rear tire far from the pits. She would lose 40 seconds through her compromised ride and run to a bike change, and fall back to tenth.

Up ahead, it only a question as to whether Isabella could hold off her sister Ava, who took the World Cup win last weekend in France.

Isabella was on her day, and took five to ten seconds per lap in the remaining laps of the five-lap race.

Isabella Holmgren wins the Junior Women's title. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Isabella Holmgren wins the Junior Women’s title. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Canada took gold and silver, making a historic day of racing for the country, and perhaps offering some inspiration for Maghalie Rochette later in the day in the Elite Women’s race.

Isabella Holmgren wins the Junior Women's title. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Isabella Holmgren wins the Junior Women’s title. 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

“I don’t think I fully processed it yet, I’m just really excited but Ava being second makes it even better,” Isabella Holmgren said after her finish. “It’s really exciting, I’m happy I get to hear the anthem again and I hope it sets a good start for the rest of the categories.”

Ava Holmgren, ranked higher than Isabella, was thrilled at the finish with silver. “I came here to get Canada’s first-ever medal,” she said. “What happened was something even better. My sister won!”

Ava Holmgren celebrates her sister Isabella's win. Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Ava Holmgren celebrates her sister Isabella’s win. Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Celia Gery of France took third.

American Lopez de San Ramon finished 11th, but was the fourth first-year Junior, which bodes well for next year. Team USA’s Kaya Musgrave was 15th, and Samantha Scott finished 20th. Madeleine Pollock of Canada finished 38th.

“I came here to get Canada’s first-ever medal. What happened was something even better. My sister won!”

-Ava Holmgren

Ava Holmgren, Isabella Holmgren and Celia Gery. Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Ava Holmgren, Isabella Holmgren and Celia Gery. Junior Women, 2023 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Hoogerheide. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

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

2023 Hoogerheide UCI Cyclocross World Championships Results: Elite Women

PosNrNameNationTimeGap
1.7HOLMGREN Isabella
CANADA
Canada42:13-
2.6HOLMGREN Ava
CANADA
Canada42:33+0:20
3.25GERY Célia
FRANCE
France43:00+0:47
4.24VENTURELLI Federica
ITALY
Italy43:00+0:47
5.33VAN SINAEY Xaydee
BELGIUM
Belgium43:05+0:52
6.3FERGUSON Cat
GREAT BRITAIN
United Kingdom43:13+1:00
7.19MOLENGRAAF Lauren
NETHERLANDS
Netherlands43:25+1:12
8.13DLASKOVÁ Vanda
CZECH REPUBLIC
Czech Republic43:36+1:23
9.39CHLADONOVÁ Viktória
SLOVAKIA
Slovakia43:54+1:41
10.23CORVI Valentina
ITALY
Italy44:00+1:47
11.10LOPEZ DE SAN ROMAN Vida
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
United States44:22+2:09
12.32MOORS Fleur
BELGIUM
Belgium44:41+2:28
13.15HANÁKOVÁ Eliška
CZECH REPUBLIC
Czech Republic44:54+2:41
14.18LANGENBARG Puck
NETHERLANDS
Netherlands45:02+2:49
15.11MUSGRAVE Kaya
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
United States45:02+2:49
16.37BRÄUTIGAM Messane
GERMANY
Germany45:12+2:59
17.30DE SCHEPPER Lore
BELGIUM
Belgium45:22+3:09
18.47MATULA Alicja
POLAND
Poland45:22+3:09
19.26KLAES Lise
FRANCE
France45:22+3:09
20.12SCOTT Samantha
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
United States45:24+3:11
21.38BRUCHNER Regina
HUNGARY
Hungary45:36+3:23
22.45KABETAJ Nelia
ALBANIA
Albania45:42+3:29
23.5WOLFF Imogen
GREAT BRITAIN
United Kingdom45:50+3:37
24.14DOUDEROVÁ Katerina
CZECH REPUBLIC
Czech Republic45:50+3:37
25.28MULLER Amandine
FRANCE
France45:50+3:37
26.31DE SCHOESITTER Shanyl
BELGIUM
Belgium46:04+3:51
27.16NOVÁKOVÁ Karla
CZECH REPUBLIC
Czech Republic46:12+3:59
28.43FILGUEIRAS BARCENILLA Maria
SPAIN
Spain46:14+4:01
29.20SONNEMANS Sara
NETHERLANDS
Netherlands46:19+4:06
30.48LILLELUND Julie
DENMARK
Denmark46:21+4:08
31.21TAKKEN Roxanne
NETHERLANDS
Netherlands46:21+4:08
32.49NORRID-MORTENSEN Olympia
DENMARK
Denmark46:38+4:25
33.36BUNEA Wendy
ROMANIA
Romania46:53+4:40
34.2CARRICK-ANDERSON Emily
GREAT BRITAIN
United Kingdom46:57+4:44
35.42DOHERTY Aine
IRELAND
Ireland, Republic of47:02+4:49
36.22BIANCHI Arianna
ITALY
Italy47:13+5:00
37.29KAGEVI Stina
SWEDEN
Sweden47:18+5:05
38.8POLLOCK Madeleine
CANADA
Canada47:43+5:30
39.41UNGEROVÁ Sofia
SLOVAKIA
Slovakia48:51+6:38
40.4MCKINNON Elizabeth
GREAT BRITAIN
United Kingdom49:12+6:59
41.9RODGERS Geza
CANADA
Canada49:18+7:05
42.50SCHMITZ Anouk
LUXEMBOURG
Luxembourg49:25+7:12
43.35BAKOVIC Ella Rosa Aoife
SERBIA
49:30+7:17
44.40SMATANOVÁ Ema
SLOVAKIA
Slovakia49:36+7:23
45.44SOTO ALVAREZ Uxia
SPAIN
Spain50:25+8:12
46.46KRYSTKOWIAK Zofia
POLAND
Poland-1 LAP
17KALIS Bloeme
NETHERLANDS
NetherlandsDNF

Featured photo: UCI