Shirin van Anrooij was once again able to take her place on the second highest step of the podium in Hofstade, but this time she was less satisfied with her cyclo-cross performance. "In Antwerp, I felt very good, today I didn't have the best feeling," she said after the race to the camera of Sporza.
"This was definitely the best I could do. Yesterday I felt great on the bike, but today was already my third race in a row. I didn’t have the best feeling, I was tired and made many mistakes," Van Anrooij was self-critical. "I have to be happy with this second place."
No one could beat her teammate Lucinda Brand, but Van Anrooij managed to outpace Manon Bakker after an exciting battle. "I knew I could make a difference in the sand and run-up sections, but I wasn’t able to maintain that throughout the whole race. So I had to wait until the final lap."
Van Anrooij (left) on the podium in Hofstade - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
Van Anrooij hopes to take a step forward in the upcoming cyclocross races. "I do feel that it’s possible, but today fatigue was a factor."
"But I really wanted to get through a busy race weekend to regain that cyclo-cross feeling heading into Gavere (12/26) and Dendermonde (12/28). Now, a few rest days will follow," Van Anrooij concludes, and she will not start tomorrow at the Superprestige race in Heusden-Zolder.
X²O Badkamers Trofee - Hofstade Plage Cross| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45:47 | |
| 2 | + 22 | |
| 3 | + 25 | |
| 4 | + 01:42 | |
| 5 | + 01:59 | |
| 6 | + 02:24 | |
| 7 | + 02:52 | |
| 8 | " | |
| 9 | + 02:53 | |
| 10 | + 03:21 |
