Superprestige 2022 – 6 – HEUSDEN-ZOLDER [FULL RACE] (ladies)

December 27, 2021

Superprestige 2022 – 6 – HEUSDEN-ZOLDER

Superprestige 2021-2022 is the 40th edition of Superprestige, a competition that takes place between October 3, 2021 and February 12, 2022. The challenge consists of eight rounds for the men’s, women’s elites, U23 and junior elites held in Belgium and the Netherlands. All events are part of the 2021-2022 men’s and women’s cyclo-cross season calendar.

World champion Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek) won her 12th race of the season at the Telenet Superprestige in Heusden-Zolder, topping Fem van Empel (Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen) in a thrilling two-woman battle.

Annemarie Worst (777) took the final podium spot.

Brand has hardly put a foot wrong all season, winning her first race at the Superprestige in Gieten and taking out 10 of the last 12 races, only being beaten by Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), who did not start today, at Rucphen and in Koksijde where she took third behind Worst and Denise Betsema.

The race in Zolder was a quiet affair, with no spectators allowed amid surging cases of COVID-19 thanks to the omicron variant, and although there was a light drizzle the course was far less muddy than the previous day’s race in Dendermonde.

An enormous field started, with 100 riders on the line, many junior and U23 women honing their form ahead of next month’s world championships.

Ceylin Carmen del Alvarado (Alpecin-Fenix) took the hole shot off the F1 track and onto the grass but was soon overtaken by Kata Blanka Vas (SD Worx) and Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek), and tracked closely by Yara Kastelijn (Iko-Crelan), Fem van Empel and Denise Betsema (Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen) and Annemarie Worst (777).

A crash from Kastelijn split the group, with the Iko-Crelan rider forced back into a chasing group that briefly made contact but then dropped again when Vas surged on the second lap.

Alvarado was the first to drop out of the leading group at the end of lap 2 but caught back up on the third lap with a few more riders including Inge van der Heijden (777), Shirin van Anrooij (Baloise Trek) and Manon Bakker (Iko-Crelan).

A powerful surge from Brand drew Van Empel out by the end of the third lap and the pair kept the pressure on, opening up an unassailable gap to the chasers.

Brand attacked but slid out on a descent on the penultimate lap but Van Empel did not take advantage of the mistake, instead appearing to wait for the world champion – much to her demise, however, as Brand showed no mercy.

The Baloise Trek rider claimed the lead on the final dip down to the track and Van Empel could make up no ground on the short dash to the line and, as Brand celebrated, Van Empel hung her head in frustration.

Off camera, Worst prevailed in the battle for the final podium spot.

Results :
1 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions 0:48:30
2 Fem van Empel (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal 0:00:02
3 Annemarie Worst (Ned) 777 0:00:21
4 Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions 0:00:22
5 Denise Betsema (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal 0:00:30
6 Kata Blanka Vas (Hun) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team 0:00:47
7 Inge van der Heijden (Ned) 777 0:00:55
8 Manon Bakker (Ned) IKO – Crelan 0:01:27
9 Eva Lechner (Ita) 0:01:34
10 Yara Kastelijn (Ned) IKO – Crelan 0:01:37
11 Anna Kay (GBr) Starcasino CX Team 0:02:15
12 Sanne Cant (Bel) IKO – Crelan 0:02:31
13 Perrine Clauzel (Fra) A.S. Bike Crossteam 0:02:45
14 Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:02:47
15 Aniek van Alphen (Ned) 777 0:02:55
16 Kristýna Zemanová (Cze) 0:02:59
17 Zoe Backstedt (GBr) 0:03:12
18 Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Starcasino CX Team 0:03:54
19 Marthe Truyen (Bel) IKO – Crelan 0:03:55
20 Anaïs Morichon (Fra) Team Royalbikeshop.Com
21 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx 0:04:09
22 Ellen Van Loy (Bel) 0:04:14
23 Lucia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Nesta – MMR CX Team 0:04:24
24 Lauriane Duraffourg (Fra) A.S. Bike Crossteam 0:04:35
25 Chiara Teocchi (Ita) Trinity Racing 0:04:45
26 Judith Krahl (Ger) Schamel p/b Kloster Kitchen 0:05:04
27 Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) IKO – Crelan 0:05:14
28 Maud Kaptheijns (Ned) CX Team Deschacht-group Hens-containers Maes 0:05:22
29 Kateřina Hladíková (Cze) 0:05:29
30 Julie De Wilde (Bel) IKO – Crelan 0:05:51
31 Fauve Bastiaenssen (Bel) BNS Technics – Groep T.O.M 0:05:52
32 Nadja Heigl (Aut) KTM Alchemist Powered by Brenta Brakes
33 Lucia Bramati (Ita) 0:05:53
34 Femke Gort (Ned) BNS Technics – Groep T.O.M 0:05:57
35 Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi) 0:05:58
36 Madigan Munro (USA) Trek Factory Racing CX 0:05:59
37 Olivia Onesti (Fra) Starcasino CX Team 0:06:01
38 Tereza Vaníčková (Cze) 0:06:02
39 Sidney Mcgill (Can) 0:06:14
40 Suzanne Verhoeven (Bel) 0:06:21
41 Kiona Crabbé (Bel) Plantur-Pura 0:06:25
42 Caitlin Bernstein (USA) 0:06:26
43 Barbora Jeřábková (Cze) 0:06:45
44 Lotte Koopmans (Ned) 0:06:51
45 Nikola Bajgerová (Cze) 0:06:54
46 Anna Megale (USA)
47 Julie Brouwers (Bel) 0:06:57
48 Erica Zaveta (USA) 0:07:00
49 Viviane Rognant (Fra) OCF Team Cross 0:07:13
50 Ava Holmgren (Can) 0:07:14
51 Susanne Meistrok (Ned) Proximus – Alphamotorhomes – Doltcini CT 0:07:15
52 Loes Sels (Bel) Proximus – Alphamotorhomes – Doltcini CT 0:07:30
53 Xan Crees (GBr) Team Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus 0:07:44
54 Anais Grimault (Fra) Team S1 Neo Loudeac 0:07:56
55 Iris Offerein (Ned)
56 Sterre Vervloet (Bel)
57 Isabella Holmgren (Can)
58 Sara Cueto Vega (Spa) Unicaja Banco – Gijon
59 Katherine Sarkisov (USA)
60 Elodie Kuijper (Ned)
61 Chloe Fraser (GBr) Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
62 Lydia Pinto Larenjo (Spa) Nesta – MMR CX Team
63 Solenne Billouin (Fra) Team Guevel Immobilier Laval Cyclisme 53
64 Alma Johansson (Swe)
65 Samantha Scott (USA)
66 Jenaya Francis (Can)
67 Veerle Goossens (Ned)
68 Lotta Mansfield (GBr)
69 Meg De Bruyne (Bel)
70 Tessa Zwaenepoel (Bel) Proximus – Alphamotorhomes – Doltcini CT
71 Emily Werner (USA)
72 Lies´L Schevenels (Bel)
73 Coralie Houdin (Fra)
74 Christiane Bilodeau (Can)
75 Audrey De Keersmaeker (Bel) Starcasino CX Team
76 Laura Greenhalgh (GBr) VeloRevolution WPcycles
77 Adèle Hurteloup (Fra)
78 Rosita Reijnhout (Ned)
79 Britt De Grave (Ned)
80 Bridget Tooley (USA)
81 Elsa Westenfelder (USA)
82 Mia Aseltine (USA)
83 Layla Barthels (Lux)
84 Kiara Lylyk (Can)
85 Katelyn Walcroft (Can)
86 Kaya Musgrave (USA)
87 Natasha Visnack (USA)
88 Rebecca Gross (USA)
89 Anke Brok (Ned)
90 Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
91 Adeline Moreau (Bel)
92 Corey Coogan Cisek (USA) VeloRevolution WPcycles
93 Famke Van Waterschoot (Ned)
94 Maria Modenes Garcia De Motiloa (Spa)
95 Laura Alagna (USA)
DNF Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Alpecin – Fenix
DNF Laura Verdonschot (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal
DNF Siobhan Kelly (Can)
DNF Lara Defour (Bel) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
DNS Maïté Barthels (Lux) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch