Saturday’s eleventh and penultimate round of the 2025-2026 UCI ‘Cross World Cup in Maasmechelen, Belgium, was the first of a concluding weekend double-header. Puck Pieterse, who crashed hard in the Dutch national championships, bounced back with her first World Cup victory of the season after three podiums. Lucinda Brand, having wrapped up the overall title, took it relatively easy on the day and placed 10th. Nico Knoll, the lone Canadian, was 38th.
Pregame
Having claimed eight out of ten rounds and 110 points ahead of Aniek van Alphen, Brand had already won her fourth overall title, which was also her second in row. Dutch champion Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado had been fourth, first and second in the last three rounds. Blanka Kata Vas won the Maasmechelen round last season.
Amandine Fouquenet snagged the hole shot on Lap 1, with Vas and Sara Casasola keeping close tabs on her. Puck Pieterse muscled her way to Position 1 midway through the lap, but Fouquenet insisted. Both fell on a short, steep carry section. Leonie Bentveld was the next rider to lead, and she pushed out a gap before the sand. By the line, Fouquenet, Vas, Pieterse and Casasola were together, Brand yet to catch up. Knoll was 26th.
This quartet wanted to keep Brand in their rearview mirror on Lap 2. Alvarado worked to bring herself, the World Cup champion and Annemarie Worst back into it. Pieterse did the yeoman’s work on the front. The foursome had a 10-second gap over Alvarado. Brand was 25 seconds in arrears.
At the beginning of Lap 3 of 6, Pieterse and Fouquenet bolted on Vas and Casasola, the latter duo gaining a reinforcement in the form of Alvarado. Shirin van Anrooij hoped to join in. Pieterse put a little real estate between herself and the French rider just before the line. Knoll was 35th.
Pieterse worked to retain her four-second advantage on Lap 4. Vas dropped off the back of the chase trio, but van Anrooij and Brand found her. A Pieterse bobble worked in Fouqunet’s favour, and the two were reunited by the line.
On the penultimate lap, Alvarado lit out for the podium on her own. Suddenly, Alvarado and Casasola were crowding the front pair, and when Fouquenet pitted with a puncture, she found herself in Position 4. Again, Pieterse sought solitude at the pointy end of the race. Her lead was nine seconds over Alvarado and Fouquenet at the line….
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