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Mother Nature served up a fresh coat of powder for today’s racing in Lille, while the Elite Women delivered fans goosebumps from the dramatic, suspenseful racing.

At the penultimate stop of the X²0 badkamers Trofee cyclocross series, five racers entered the final lap within ten seconds of the lead and delivered one of the most thrilling finishes of the season.

Newly-crowned World Champ Lucinda Brand (Telenet Baloise Lions) attacked with one to go, forcing 2021 World Champ Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin Fenix) to chase.

Behind, Sanne Cant (Team IKO–Crelan) tried to regain the lead she held before stumbling at the barriers, while yesterday’s Superprestige Middelkerke winner, Pauwel Sauzen Bingoal’s Denise Betsema kept it close.

Annemarie Worst (777) dangled just off the four leaders.

After a series of bobbles from Cant and Betsema in the woods, it came down to a nail-biter between the last two World Champs.

Betsema finished third, holding onto her overall series lead, but losing a few seconds to Brand.

The race brought memories of another snowy must-watch race full of twists and turns and lead changes: the 2009 classic in Kalmthout between Nys, Albert and Stybar.

American Rebecca Fahringer raced for her second day in a row. The Kona-Maxxis-Shimano rider continued her long European campaign with 23rd place. Canadian Siobhan Kelly (Black Dog Racing) finished 31st.

2021 X²0 badkamers Trofee - Krawatencross - Lille Results: Elite Women

RankBIBRiderNationTeamAgeResult
12ALVARADO Ceylin del CarmenNEDALPECIN - FENIX2348:50:00
21BRAND LucindaNEDBALOISE TREK LIONS3248:50:00
35BETSEMA DeniseNEDPAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL2848:50:13
43CANT SanneBELIKO - CRELAN3148:50:20
54WORST AnnemarieNED7772648:50:32
610VAN DER HEIJDEN IngeNED7772248:51:44
718VAN EMPEL FemNEDPAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL1948:51:45
86BAKKER ManonNEDCREDISHOP-FRISTADS2248:51:47
97KASTELIJN YaraNEDCREDISHOP-FRISTADS2448:51:50
1013LECHNER EvaITASTARCASINO CX TEAM3648:52:08
1115VAN ALPHEN AniekNEDCREDISHOP-FRISTADS2248:52:24
1220FRANCK AliciaBELPROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - DOLTCINI CT2748:52:33
1324TRUYEN MartheBELBALOISE TREK LIONS2248:52:45
1431VERHESTRAETEN KarenBELIKO - CRELAN3048:53:27
1516VAN LOY EllenBELBALOISE TREK LIONS4148:53:32
1611KAY AnnaGBRSTARCASINO CX TEAM2248:53:34
1717PIETERSE PuckNEDALPECIN - FENIX1948:53:56
1830CRABBÉ KionaBEL2048:54:22
1923VERHOEVEN SuzanneBEL2548:55:00
2035MEISTROK SusanneNEDPROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - DOLTCINI CT2248:55:05
2114ARZUFFI Alice MariaITA7772748:55:24
229GONZALEZ BLANCO LuciaESPNESTA - SKODA ALECAR CX TEAM3148:55:44
2312FAHRINGER RebeccaUSA3248:55:56
2433VAN ANROOIJ LindyNEDSTARCASINO CX TEAM2548:56:02
2536BROUWERS JulieBEL1948:57:51
2647ZWAENEPOEL TessaBELPROXIMUS - ALPHAMOTORHOMES - DOLTCINI CT2048:59:25
2750MAES ShanaBELTORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM2648:59:48
2846DE BRUYNE MegBEL2549:00:17
2945BASTIAENSSEN FauveBEL24-1 LAP
3043PEETERS JinseBEL22-1 LAP
3141KELLY SiobhanCAN25-2 LAPS
3248GREENHALGH LauraGBR36-2 LAPS
19NORBERT RIBEROLLE MarionFRASTARCASINO CX TEAM22DNF
21SELS LoesBELIKO - CRELAN36DNF