Puck Pieterse claims first World Cup win of the season, Lucinda Brand only tenth

The World Cup cyclocross race in Maasmechelen was won on Saturday by Puck Pieterse. The Fenix-Premier Tech rider settled matters after nearly fifty minutes of racing with Amandine Fouquenet and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. Lucinda Brand had a rare off day, finishing only tenth.

The World Cups in Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide this weekend serve as the final tune-up for the World Championships in Hulst, but they are also prestigious events in their own right. Nearly all the big names lined up at the start in the women's race. Top favorite Lucinda Brand faced competition from riders including Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Puck Pieterse, and Shirin van Anrooij.

However, it was Amandine Fouquenet, Blanka Kata Vas, Pieterse, and Sara Casasola who led the way in the opening lap, immediately creating a gap on the rest of the field. Top contenders Alvarado and Brand found themselves trailing by twelve and eighteen seconds respectively and had to start a chase.

Of the four front runners, Fouquenet and Pieterse proved the strongest. Just before the halfway point of the race, they pulled away from the Hungarian and Italian riders, but were they also on their way to victory?

Alvarado puts pressure on Pieterse
That was still to be determined, as Alvarado had moved up to third place in the meantime. With three laps remaining, the Dutch national champion was about fourteen seconds behind the leading duo. And Brand? Her deficit only grew, and with a half-minute gap, she seemed out of contention for the win. Even her streak of podium finishes was at risk in Maasmechelen.

In the finale, Alvarado managed to close to within a few seconds of Pieterse, who was leading alone after Fouquenet suffered a flat tire. With one lap to go, the Fenix-Deceuninck rider held a nine-second advantage over Fouquenet and Alvarado. The finish in Maasmechelen turned tense, but Pieterse held on to claim her first World Cup victory in a long time.