It was a typical Dutch vs Dutch vs Dutch affair in the first elite women’s cyclocross World Cup race of the season in Waterloo, Wisconsin, USA on Sunday, with Fem van Empel earning her second career World Cup victory and taking the first elite women’s series lead. Ava Holmgren was top Canadian in 15th place and third U21 rider.
You can watch the 2022-2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup at FloBikes.
It was a fast, dry course. The laps were very close to 3 km.
Cyclocross is back with the first round of the #CXWorldCup in Waterloo 🇺🇸.
Can 🇧🇪 Iserbyt make it another American party? Will 🇳🇱 Brand be able to take revanche after last year?
Enjoy your evening, and if you’re not interested yet in this sport, give it a chance tonight! pic.twitter.com/ZsVZQ0iuQg
— Domestique (@Domestique___) October 9, 2022
The Canadian contingent was Christiane Bilodeau, Jenaya Francis, Ava and Isabella Holmgren, Siobhan Kelly, Sidney McGill and Katelyn Walcroft.
Cyclocross season officially starts ✨ tomorrow ✨ and we are so excited to see our 🇨🇦 perform in Waterloo 🇺🇸
La saison de cyclocross débute officiellement demain et on a bien hâte de voir nos 🇨🇦 performer à Waterloo
Full details 👉 https://t.co/UbasqwJ1EQ pic.twitter.com/gY83vZ3gcg
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) October 8, 2022
Defending two-time World Cup champion and world champion Lucinda Brand was on the start line, but last season’s Waterloo winner Marianne Vos was not. No Belgians made the trip across the pond.
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado claimed the hole shot but other Dutch riders swept around her. Ava Holmgren was fifth. Van Empel led the string.
Van Empel, Annemarie Worst and Inge van der Heijden moved away from the others on Lap 1. Alvarado and Denise Betsema chased and caught up by end of the lap. Holmgren was ninth and McGill 15th.
The Dutch quintet tried to keep Brand 10 seconds behind on Lap 2. Van Empel continued to pull. Brand made the junction before Lap 3. Ava kept falling down the ranks, and sister Isabella was only two spots behind her.
Now a Dutch sextet, the leading group rolled Lap 3. Hélène Clauzel arrived to be the only non-Dutch rider in the gang. Betsema led over the finish line.
Alvarado attacked from the back early in Lap 4. Clauzel clung on tenaciously. Another Alvarado dig unlatched some riders and put some real estate between herself and the others. Brand…
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