Every year I have attended Hulst, I have had a similar conversation about the course at some point during the day: “Can you imagine how nuts it would be if it ever really rained on this course?”
On Saturday, we got the answer to that question. And the answer was a lot less nutty than I would have guessed. One of the large drops claimed some victims, and I don’t want to gloss over that. It was pretty treacherous. But other than a few steep berms that turned from rides to runs, it was manageable even in the youth categories. My biggest fear was that the iconic huge run-up would become impossible to climb, but that was not the case at all.
Early in lap one, and Marie Schreiber is already off the front.
The group of favorites chasing early in the race.
American Cassie Hickey sliding down a steep drop.
Americans Katie Clouse and Lizzy Gunsalus on one of the long, steep drops. This drop proved to be the most treacherous spot on the course.
Lucinda Brand remounts.
Inge van der Heijden leads Puck Pieterse up a steep berm.
Pieterse on one of the off-cambers
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Leonie Bentveld chasing.
U.S. national champ Vida Lopez de San Roman cresting a steep run-up.
Sidney McGill enters the materiaalzone.
Schreiber takes her first World Cup victory.
Manos de Alvarado.
Laurens Sweeck on THE run-up.
Newly crowned American champ Andrew Strohmeyer with a mid-race adjustment.
Scott Funston remounts.
Cameron Mason rides an off-camber.
Eli Iserbyt on the other huge drop.
Late in the race and Niels Vandeputte is looking good for his first World Cup victory.
Thibau Nys crests one of the 500 steep run-ups.
Frenchman David Menut cracked the top 10.
Niels Vandeputte holds off Felipe Orts to take the win.
Felipe Orts was very happy with his second place in Hulst.
