Preview: National Cyclocross Championships for Women 2024 – How much resistance will Pieterse get from Alvarado and Brand?

The month of January has started and so the cyclocross riders’ focus is on the championships. Before the Cyclo-Cross World Championships become interesting, the Dutch cyclo-cross riders will first have to attend the Cyclo-cross National Championships. Hoogeveen in Drenthe is the place to be on Sunday January 14 for cross-loving Netherlands. Will Puck Pieterse succeed himself? CyclingFlits looks ahead to the women’s battle.

History

Last ten winners of the National Cyclocross Championships for women
2023: Puck Pieterse
2022: Marianne Vos
2021: No edition due to corona pandemic
2020: Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado
2019: Lucinda Brand
2018: Lucinda Brand
2017: Marianne Vos
2016: Thalita de Jong
2015: Marianne Vos
2014: Marianne Vos
2013: Marianne Vos

Last year

National Cyclocross Championships 2023 in Zaltbommel
Women’s results
1. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
2. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) at 26s
3. Fem van Empel (Jumbo-Visma) at 39s
4. Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) on 2m16s
5. Annemarie Worst (777) op 2m54s

Course

A versatile circuit has been set out on and around the grounds of Pavilion Nijstad, southwest of Hoogeveen, which will serve as the backdrop for the Cyclo-Cross National Championships this winter. The local – and also nationally known – cycling club De Peddelaars has drawn up the route, in which Jens Dekker is also closely involved. The former junior world champion did that about three years ago, when there was no talk of his comeback yet. So there was no need to benefit oneself. “I wanted to create a course where the public can see great competitions.”

That will remain to be seen, but all the ingredients are there. The start of the circuit is after the asphalt strip at the start-finish on meadow land. It will never be swampy there. Just after the first equipment station, a slightly longer climb begins, where riders can use their strength. This is followed by a short, technical one off camberdescent, until they end up on asphalt again. They drive in one long line to the northern part of the course, where they turn left into a recreational area. There, beach volleyball courts have been transformed into a real sandbox.

There is a bend there that may be just manageable. However, this is not a guaranteed running lane, despite the fact that the sand is loose. After some bends over grass and a path with tiles, the riders turn onto the beach at the Surfplas. The sand is hard and easy to drive on. Compare it a bit with the sand passage during the Zilvermeercross in Mol.

This is followed by a slightly easier section on the outside of the course, where you can regain your strength. After the second material mail, the difficulties follow in rapid succession.

This starts with a bridge, shortly followed by a steep climb (to the same high point as where the long climb ends) and a short and technical descent. This is followed by another bridge, but then a long northern loop where the beams will probably also be located. After the turning point they drive towards the pavilion, where the riders will ride across the terrace (on carpeted mats).

Then they have a short beach passage. At the end there is a noise barrier, which they have to climb steeply up. They then drive about a hundred meters along that embankment. Finally, there is a short, technical descent and two crucial bends before the riders end up back on the asphalt towards the crossing and finish street.

The route has a few minor changes

Program and information

Location
Pavilion Nijstad, Hoogeveen

Public information
Entrance on the day of the Cyclo-cross National Championships is free all weekend.

Website organization
Elite women’s list of participants
Participant list of women’s promises

Favorites

Just as world champion Mathieu van der Poel is missing at the men’s cyclo-cross championships, world champion Fem van Empel is the big absentee from the women’s title fight. The Jumbo-Visma leader has been in a bit of trouble in recent weeks and therefore opted for a training camp in Spain to recover and work on her World Cup form. As a result, the Dutch title remains a gap on Van Empel’s ever-growing honors list.

Those who do participate are the defending champions Puck Pieterse. She was clearly the best in Zaltbommel last year and was therefore allowed to drive in red, white and blue for a year. On Sunday in Hoogeveen, Pieterse is the woman to beat, because she has had excellent form in recent weeks. The Fenix-Deceuninck rider started her winter with only second and third places, but since Pieterse won in Gavere, she has been loose. She also won in Diegem, Hulst and Zonhoven.

Pieterse also saw how her biggest opponents got into trouble last week. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado gave up in Gullegem and subsequently withdrew from Zonhoven with a back injury. She has taken some rest, but the question is whether her back pain has completely gone away. The expectation is that Alvarado will start, and then she always has a chance. But is she strong enough to beat a 100% fit Puck Pieterse? Alvarado was already Dutch champion in 2019 (promises) and 2020 (elite).

Lucinda Brand seemed to be on her way to victory in Zonhoven when she crashed hard and fell on her face. Consequence? A week before the National Championships, the leader of Baloise Trek Lions had to give up and afterwards it turned out that she had broken her nose. Brand will still start in Hoogeveen on Sunday. “She can breathe freely and there is no medical risk to cycling,” her team says. Brand does drive without glasses, but also without a face mask.

In short, Pieterse’s two biggest competitors were in the doldrums last week and were more concerned with recovering than resting and working towards the Dutch championship. “I also have to keep everything good,” Pieterse said CyclingFlits. “Because the season is long and the championships are coming now.”

Then several riders are on the watch in case Alvarado or Brand turn out not to be fit enough. Inge van der Heijden for example, she benefited from Alvarado’s absence and Brand’s retirement by finishing second in Zonhoven. If she can continue that form towards the National Championships, she might win her first medal among the elites. Van der Heijden was already winner of the National Championship for U23s in 2018 and 2020.

Behind that will be in front Annemarie Worst (second at the 2020 National Championships) and Aniek van Alphen everything has to fall into place if they want to compete for the podium places. Then they have to rise above themselves and hope that the aforementioned favorites have a bad day. We also mention Denise Betsema, but her season has been very disappointing so far. We don’t see a first National Championship medal for her happening anytime soon.

Favorites according to WielerFlits
*** Puck Pieterse
** Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Lucinda Brand
* Inge van der Heijden, Annemarie Worst, Aniek van Alphen

Initially, the cyclo-cross National Championships program consisted of five races instead of four, as is now the case. Originally, the Cyclo-cross National Championships for promising women was planned as a separate competition. That has changed, because the riders who compete in the U23 category participate in their race with the elites. One match, two winners.

The big favorite among the promising women is Leonie Bentveld. The 19-year-old is a second-year promise and crost for Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal. Only twice has she finished outside the top 10 of an elite competition this season. She even stood on the podium in the Flamanville World Cup. Her strong performances in the World Cup have made her sixth in the elite rankings and the best U23 rider, although Zoe Bäckstedt is hot on her heels. If nothing crazy happens, she will ride to the National Championship title unthreatened.

Lauren Molengraaf is a top talent in the making, but only a first-year promise. She did manage to achieve places of honor among the elites in the Exact Cross Loenhout (sixth) and the Superprestige Heusden-Zolder (ninth). She also stood on the podium in small Dutch competitions in Heerde (second) and Rucphen (third). On paper, she is Bentveld’s biggest challenger.

Behind this, the battle for the other podium place is completely open, with Femke Gort (eighth in Loenhout), Isa Nomden (ninth in Loenhout, eighth in Essen), Iris Offerein (fifth in Heerderstrand) and road riders Ilse Pluimers (European U23 champion at the road) and Mirre Knaven.

Favorites according to WielerFlits
*** Leonie Bentveld
** Lauren Molengraaf, Femke Gort
* Isa Nomden, Mirre Knaven, Ilse Pluimers

Weather and TV

According to Weatheronline It will be drizzly winter weather in Hoogeveen on Sunday. The temperature fluctuates around 4 degrees Celsius and the strong westerly wind (wind force 4) makes it feel like it is around freezing point. The chance of precipitation is above 80% all day, so it will be a very cold affair in Drenthe.

The National Championships for women and men can be watched live in several ways. On the regional TV channel RTV Drenthe the live broadcast starts at 1:30 PM. The NOS reports on both matches via a live stream in the app and online, while also Eurosport.nl in Discovery+ broadcast the cross. The broadcasts there also start around 1:30 PM.