The women’s elite race at the Dendermonde World Cup was shaped by unforgiving conditions, with heavy mud and persistent rain creating a brutal battlefield. Lucinda Brand asserted herself at the front from the opening lap, leading a string of riders through the thick sludge. Already the World Cup leader, Brand capitalised on her strong start and rode precisely, navigating treacherous sections where others faltered.
Puck Pieterse initially looked like she might challenge Brand. The young Dutch rider was aggressive, even taking the lead briefly on the second lap. However, a mid-race puncture saw Pieterse lose crucial time, allowing Brand to regain control. From that point, Brand steadily increased her advantage. She widened the gap further on the penultimate lap, maintaining momentum through the course’s toughest sections.
Behind her, Pieterse worked hard to secure second place, battling both the terrain and her competitors. She described the race as a test of endurance and mental focus, particularly after her setback. “In the last lap, I thought I had another puncture, but I was already heading towards the asphalt, so I just had to sprint,” Pieterse explained. Despite these challenges, she managed to hold off world champion Fem van Empel, who was charging from behind.
Photo Credit: Cor VosVan Empel endured her own struggles, including a poor opening lap and two punctures in the final stages. Starting strong but slipping back early, she fought her way into contention by the middle of the race, joining Pieterse for a potential battle for second place. However, her mechanical issues dashed those hopes, leaving her to settle for third.
Meanwhile, Brand kept her focus and rhythm, describing the latter laps as some of the hardest she’s faced this season. “The mud was super heavy,” Brand said. “At the end of the penultimate lap, my gap increased, so I just had to focus on the very tough parts and keep enough speed there.” She crossed the line 30 seconds ahead of Pieterse, claiming her second World Cup victory of the season and extending her lead in the overall standings to 61 points.
Further down the field, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, a former Dendermonde winner, had a difficult day. The Dutch rider lost time early and eventually abandoned the race, unable to find her rhythm on the punishing course.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Photo Credit: GettyWout van Aert takes the win in extreme muddy conditions
The men’s race began with a flurry of activity as riders fought to establish a position on the thick, waterlogged course. Michael Vanthourenhout led the field into the opening corners, with Toon Aerts and Ryan Kamp also prominent at the front. The heavy mud quickly turned the race into a war of attrition, as riders dismounted to run over sections clogged with deep sludge.
Wout van Aert, starting from a mid-field grid position, bided his time in the early laps. By the second lap, he began methodically working his way forward, using his power and technical skills to pass riders struggling with the course’s challenges. As Pim Ronhaar and Emiel Verstrynge set the pace at the front, Van Aert moved into contention, picking his way through the pack.
By the third lap, Van Aert had joined the leaders and wasted little time in taking control. On a particularly demanding section of the course, he unleashed a powerful move to ride clear of Verstrynge. From that point, the Belgian built an unassailable lead, riding solo for the remainder of the eight-lap contest. His smooth handling and relentless pace widened the gap with every lap, as his rivals faltered behind him.
Verstrynge and Joran Wyseure emerged as the main chasers, with Verstrynge managing to stay within sight of Van Aert for a few laps before the gap extended to over a minute. “It’s a hard race, and I knew I had to find a good pace,” Verstrynge said. “It was enough to finish second today.” The young Belgian showed resilience on a course that tested every rider’s limits, securing his best-ever result at the elite level.
Photo Credit: Cor VosFurther back, Wyseure rode a strong race to take third, holding off Toon Aerts and Michael Vanthourenhout in the later laps. Aerts, who had started aggressively, faded slightly but still finished a respectable fourth. Vanthourenhout, the World Cup series leader, crossed the line in fifth after a tough day in the mud.
Van Aert’s dominance was never in doubt as he crossed the finish line with a lead of 1:20 over Verstrynge. Despite the challenging conditions, he appeared almost jubilant after the race. “These are the cyclocross races you remember,” Van Aert said. “When you are doing it, sometimes you question why. But it’s so difficult to stay concentrated and pull it off. These are the days I used to want to be a ‘cross racer for.”
The win marked Van Aert’s second consecutive victory of the weekend and his third triumph at Dendermonde. The Belgian superstar now looks ahead to the World Cup round in Benidorm later this month, confident in his form as he prepares for the upcoming road season.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
