We won't see Puck Pieterse on the road in the coming months: "Focus on mountain biking"

Puck Pieterse didn’t win a major classic this spring, but she was incredibly consistent, with podium finishes in the Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne, and Liège–Bastogne–Liège standing out. At the press conference in Liège, she looked back on her spring campaign with satisfaction.

At one point, you knew you wouldn’t catch Demi Vollering anymore. Did you then fully focus on sprinting for second place?
"Yes, of course we tried to keep the gap as small as possible or at least keep Demi in sight because then anything is possible. But on the Roche-aux-Faucons, we knew we wouldn’t catch her. From that moment, I concentrated on the sprint and I’m happy I could finish it off for second place."

What makes this race so difficult to close a gap with three riders on a solo leader like Vollering?
With the headwind, it was actually even harder to stay alone out front after La Redoute. We were pushing full gas but didn’t get any closer. After La Redoute, there’s still a bit of climbing. There it was manageable, even on the following climb. But after that, the gap just kept growing."

You previously mentioned that the overall level in the peloton has risen. How does that compare to your own form compared to last year?
"I think if I had last year’s legs, I probably wouldn’t have been able to fight for second place now. The finale started very early, and the race was tough from the first climb after 25 kilometers. The pace was incredibly high on every climb, so you already start La Redoute very fatigued. We ended up with a small group, while that group is usually larger after that climb. I’m glad my level was good enough to stay in the race for that second spot."

How do you overall look back on your spring classics?
"I’m happy. My goals were the Tour of Flanders and the Ardennes classics. Being on the podium in Flanders already made me super happy. And now to also be strong in the Ardennes... I can definitely not complain."

What are your plans for the upcoming weeks? Is there time for rest?
"I have a few days off now, and then my focus shifts completely to mountain biking. You won’t see me on the road again until the Tour de France."