Description
December 23, 2022
Exact Cross 2023 WE – 5 – Mol
The Exact Cross series – formerly known as Ethias Cross and Brico Cross – is one of the four major series in the cyclocross season,
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December 23, 2022
Exact Cross 2023 WE – 5 – Mol
The Exact Cross series – formerly known as Ethias Cross and Brico Cross – is one of the four major series in the cyclocross season, making it one of the most prestigious series in modern cyclocross. The series takes place over eight rounds throughout the season, with all of the rounds being held in Belgium, one of the two heartlands of cyclocross alongside the Netherlands. Unlike other series, Exact Cross does not award points towards any sort of classification at the end of each race, nor does it compose an overall ranking. Exact Cross is instead a series of one-day races spread throughout the calendar, with whoever crosses the finish line in 1st place winning the race and the bounty of prizes on offer (which is usually money). The Exact Cross series started as the Brico Cross series in the 2016/17 season and had only six rounds in its first edition. In the 2018/19 season, the series introduced its current eight-round format and for the 2019/20 season, the series was renamed ‘Ethias Cross’. For this season the series will be known as ‘Exact Cross’ and will introduce some new races to its calendar, while still maintaining its eight-round format.
Shirin van Anrooij (Baloise Trek Lions) rode solo under the lights and won the Exact Cross round in Mol Friday. Teammate Lucinda Brand surged past Annemarie Worst (777) at the mid-point of the race and the duo secured the final spots on the Zilvermeercross podium, Brand in second and Worst in third.
Zoe Backstedt (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) took fourth place, more than a minute behind Van Anrooij, riding 10 seconds faster than Aniek van Alphen (777), who was fifth.
The top five women in the World Cup standings were absent from the Friday night ride in the rain, including the leading duo of 20-year-olds Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and second-placed Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck). Van Anrooij earned her first elite World Cup victory in Beekse Bergen against the two rivals and is now sixth in the World Cup standings.
She still had to negotiate a wet course, deep sand and former World Champion Brand to secure her second victory of the season.
“My start wasn’t great, but I wanted to get to the sand first and use that stretch. I made a mistake once and the rest didn’t get any closer. Then I knew: if I don’t make any more mistakes, then I will make it,” she told Gazet van Antwerpen.
Van Anrooij took control of the race from the start, joined on the first laps by Worst, with a gap to Backstedt and Brand.
It was on the second lap that Brand broke away from the young Briton and joined Worst.
With one lap to go, Brand chased alone in second place, 23 seconds behind the leader and Worst then tried to close a gap that began to widen from six seconds. The quartet held positions to the finish.
Results :
. The Exact Cross series started as the Brico Cross series in the 2016/17 season and had only six rounds in its first edition. In the 2018/19 season, the series introduced its current eight-round format and for the 2019/20 season, the series was renamed ‘Ethias Cross’. For this season the series will be known as ‘Exact Cross’ and will introduce some new races to its calendar, while still maintaining its eight-round format.
Shirin van Anrooij (Baloise Trek Lions) rode solo under the lights and won the Exact Cross round in Mol Friday. Teammate Lucinda Brand surged past Annemarie Worst (777) at the mid-point of the race and the duo secured the final spots on the Zilvermeercross podium, Brand in second and Worst in third.
Zoe Backstedt (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) took fourth place, more than a minute behind Van Anrooij, riding 10 seconds faster than Aniek van Alphen (777), who was fifth.
The top five women in the World Cup standings were absent from the Friday night ride in the rain, including the leading duo of 20-year-olds Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and second-placed Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck). Van Anrooij earned her first elite World Cup victory in Beekse Bergen against the two rivals and is now sixth in the World Cup standings.
She still had to negotiate a wet course, deep sand and former World Champion Brand to secure her second victory of the season.
“My start wasn't great, but I wanted to get to the sand first and use that stretch. I made a mistake once and the rest didn't get any closer. Then I knew: if I don't make any more mistakes, then I will make it," she told Gazet van Antwerpen.
Van Anrooij took control of the race from the start, joined on the first laps by Worst, with a gap to Backstedt and Brand.
It was on the second lap that Brand broke away from the young Briton and joined Worst.
With one lap to go, Brand chased alone in second place, 23 seconds behind the leader and Worst then tried to close a gap that began to widen from six seconds. The quartet held positions to the finish.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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