After the appetizer day on Friday with only the team relay race, we got our first entrée on Saturday with rainbows awarded to the junior women, U23 men and finally elite women. It rained off and on for most of the day but temperatures were mild, in the 50s Fahrenheit. This made the course a bit slick but it was never enough moisture to turn it into a true mudder.
The weather did not seem to deter the crowds. Not much anyway. And the tens of thousands who came out were treated to some good racing, some incredible emotions and a bit of history-making. As a North American I tend to think the day peaked when the Holmgren twins went 1-2 in the junior women’s race, claiming the first ever podiums at CX worlds for Canada. But there was something for Belgian and Dutch fans too later in the day.
(L to R) Valentina Corvi, Cat Ferguson and eventual 3rd-place finisher Célia Gery. © Ethan Glading
Samantha Scott leads Shanyl De Shoesitter over one of the many fly-overs. © Ethan Glading
Belgian fans watch Lore De Schepper on the big screen, © Ethan Glading
Samantha Scott and Kaya Musgrave on the “stairway to heaven.” © Ethan Glading
Isabella Holmgren on her way to Canada’s first ever rainbow jersey in cyclocross. © Ethan Glading
Lauren Molengraf runs the off-camber with a rear flat. The mechanical took the pre-race favorite out of contention. © Ethan Glading
Current U19 Pan American champ and now silver medalist at Worlds, Ava Holmgren. © Ethan Glading
11th-placed Vida Lopez was the top American finisher across both days of racing. © Ethan Glading
The Holmgren twins after the finish. If they were triplets, could they have swept the podium? We’ll never know. © Ethan Glading
The US WJ national champ, Kaya Musgrave, left it all on the course and finished 15th. © Ethan Glading
The U23 men toe-ing the rainbow line. © Ethan Glading
Davide Toneatti and Emiel Verstrynge tailed by The Drone. © Ethan Glading
Belgian Witse Meeusen riding his way to a bronze medal. © Ethan Glading
Andrew Strohmeyer got into a brawl with a fence post that dashed his chance at a top result. © Ethan Glading
Thibau and Tibor. Gold and Silver. © Ethan Glading
The back end of the top 10 chasing up the hill. © Ethan Glading
No stranger to Worlds podiums, Thibau Nys takes the top step and the rainbows in Hoogerheide. © Ethan Glading
8th place for a spent Viktor Van De Putte. © Ethan Glading
There’s always a T-rex. © Ethan Glading
Lucinda Brand. The veteran Dutch rider has come a long way from her Tabor injury. A bronze medal was the reward for all the hard work. © Ethan Glading
Canadian Sidney McGill rode all of the World Cups this season. In Hoogerheide she finished 25th. © Ethan Glading
After a very tough start Maghalie Rochette rode her way to a top-10 finish. © Ethan Glading
Fem Van Empel is Elite World Champion at just 20 years old. © Ethan Glading
Rumors were swirling that US Champ Clara Honsinger would be a late scratch but she battled through illness to start and finish the race in a respectable 16th place. © Ethan Glading
After experiencing the crowd Sunday I am shocked by how spaced apart this band is. (The crowd was not small on Saturday.) © Ethan Glading
Jumping vs running. The gains were never enough to distance Van Empel. © Ethan Glading
Raylyn Nuss dropping in to the off-camber. © Ethan Glading
Puck Pieterse. The Dutchwoman’s technical prowess kept her, mostly, at the front and landed her the silver medal. © Ethan Glading
Great stuff!
As ever, Ethan’s photos are the highlight of the coverage.