Description
October 9, 2022
Cyclo-Cross World Cup 2023 WE – WATERLOO
The UCI World Cup series is the pinnacle of the cyclocross season. The series often attracts the world’s best cyclocross racers and includes some of the most prestigious races on the calendar.
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October 9, 2022
Cyclo-Cross World Cup 2023 WE – WATERLOO
The UCI World Cup series is the pinnacle of the cyclocross season. The series often attracts the world’s best cyclocross racers and includes some of the most prestigious races on the calendar. This series will feature 14 rounds this season, with races held across Europe and the US as the UCI attempts to broaden the sport’s reach and bring cyclocross to a global audience. The UCI CX World Cup uses a points system to decide the rankings, with the first 25 riders to cross the finishing line scoring points. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place score 40, 30, 25, 22 and 21 points respectively, with riders then scoring one less point for every position they finish further down the field. These points then go towards the UCI CX World Cup rankings, with the rider who has accumulated the most points by the end of the series taking the overall victory. During the series, the leader in the rankings after each round will receive a white jersey with red accents to wear at the next race.
In a fiercely contested two-rider sprint, Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) won the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Waterloo, Wisconsin, beating Ceylin Carmen del Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to claim the opening round of the 14-race series.
European champion and defending World Cup winner Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek) was third.
“One word, ‘wow’,” was how Van Empel described her feelings after the third World Cup win of her young career. “The last round was a sprint. Today I knew I could attack on the last part of the course and maybe I took a chance. Lucinda and Ceylin were very close. It was a goal [to win] and I achieved it,” she told at the finish.
Van Empel was part of a five-rider select group that emerged on the opening lap after Brand slid out and caused a split. On the dusty, fast course, she helped push the pace along with her teammate Denise Betsema, Alvarado, Inge Van der Heijden and Annemarie Worst (777).
Alvarado attacked to split that group after Brand fought her way up, and soon there were only three in front: the trio who would populate the podium, although Betsema and Worst briefly rejoined.
Brand and Van Empel staged a battle midway through the final lap but the European champion was lacking after her fight back to the front and could not match her younger compatriots who dashed away to contest the sprint for the victory.
“It was the plan to go with the last lap. Lucinda also go full gas. It was a very fast course. I gave everything and I am happy,” the 20-year-old winner added at the finish.
“Last season I worked harder than ever before so I am happy I could finish it off today. It was a long trip but I was very fit at the start line. The smile was on my face all day.”
Van Empel beat Alvarado to the last corner, and the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider couldn’t come past. However, it was a great result for Alvarado after last season’s struggles with her form.
“I was hoping for it. I think me and my family and trainer saw it coming. I’m happy that it came out today,” Alvarado said of her regained fitness.
“It was a hard race form the start to the end. I’m happy of course, it’s my first podium of the season, so I’m happy about that, but I lost the sprint so a bit of a setback there,” Alvarado said. “I lost to Fem and it’s not a shame.”
Brand admitted that the race was not her best effort. “I was totally blocked – and I also crashed in the first lap and it was hard to come back. It wasn’t what I was looking for but I did all I could.”
Betsema held on for fourth, with Worst leading Van der Heijden in for fifth and sixth. Of the large US contingent, Clara Honsinger was the highest placed in seventh.
Results :
 won the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Waterloo, Wisconsin, beating Ceylin Carmen del Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to claim the opening round of the 14-race series.
European champion and defending World Cup winner Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek) was third.
"One word, 'wow'," was how Van Empel described her feelings after the third World Cup win of her young career. "The last round was a sprint. Today I knew I could attack on the last part of the course and maybe I took a chance. Lucinda and Ceylin were very close. It was a goal [to win] and I achieved it," she told at the finish.
Van Empel was part of a five-rider select group that emerged on the opening lap after Brand slid out and caused a split. On the dusty, fast course, she helped push the pace along with her teammate Denise Betsema, Alvarado, Inge Van der Heijden and Annemarie Worst (777).
Alvarado attacked to split that group after Brand fought her way up, and soon there were only three in front: the trio who would populate the podium, although Betsema and Worst briefly rejoined.
Brand and Van Empel staged a battle midway through the final lap but the European champion was lacking after her fight back to the front and could not match her younger compatriots who dashed away to contest the sprint for the victory.
"It was the plan to go with the last lap. Lucinda also go full gas. It was a very fast course. I gave everything and I am happy," the 20-year-old winner added at the finish.
"Last season I worked harder than ever before so I am happy I could finish it off today. It was a long trip but I was very fit at the start line. The smile was on my face all day."
Van Empel beat Alvarado to the last corner, and the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider couldn't come past. However, it was a great result for Alvarado after last season's struggles with her form.
"I was hoping for it. I think me and my family and trainer saw it coming. I'm happy that it came out today," Alvarado said of her regained fitness.
"It was a hard race form the start to the end. I'm happy of course, it's my first podium of the season, so I'm happy about that, but I lost the sprint so a bit of a setback there," Alvarado said. "I lost to Fem and it's not a shame."
Brand admitted that the race was not her best effort. "I was totally blocked - and I also crashed in the first lap and it was hard to come back. It wasn't what I was looking for but I did all I could."
Betsema held on for fourth, with Worst leading Van der Heijden in for fifth and sixth. Of the large US contingent, Clara Honsinger was the highest placed in seventh.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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