Marie Schreiber (SD Worx-Protime) dominated from start to finish on the muddy course in Hulst, claiming the first elite UCI World Cup victory of her career. The 21-year-old seized the holeshot and never looked back her lead, navigating the slippery terrain with the least mistakes to finish 20 seconds ahead of her nearest rival.
Behind her, the battle for podium positions unfolded between Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions), Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), Annemarie Worst (Cyclocross Reds), and Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon). Brand surged ahead on the penultimate lap to claim second, while Pieterse crossed the line in third, 28 seconds behind Schreiber.
“I don't really have the words. I mean, I don't really believe it yet. I took a good start and I was leading and suddenly I was leading by a lot and I was expecting to every ways the race to come back, but then with two laps to go I was like, shit, I can really win this. I got really nervous. I try not to make mistakes, but yeah, I felt really good, like my legs were super good, but I have to say in the last lap, I made some mistake because I realised I was gonna win this.” Schreiber said.
“Remaining calm” is one thing that Schreiber is the most proud of from today’s race.
“I always have the good start and then I drop back a bit. But I mean actually to be leading from start to finish s pretty sick feeling, and yeah, it's something I can be proud of.”
After securing third in the season's opening World Cup in Antwerp, Schreiber stepped up to claim her first victory.
“I was thinking at the beginning of the season to get better with each race, and the last couple of races I knew it's close, but there's something missing and yeah, today it worked out. I don't know if, yeah, I mean if I was that much better, but I don't really know what to say.”
The next round of the World Cup heads to Zonhoven on Sunday, closing out the weekend doubleheader.
“Tomorrow is the next race again maybe I'll have all eyes on you tomorrow now but no pressure, I have my win now. Tomorrow will be a new day new race.”
How it unfolded
Rain turned the course built around an old fort, going up and down ramparts with off-camber banks into a muddy mess and tested the technical skills of many of the riders.
Schreiber was the fastest on the first tight right-hand corner to take the holeshot, and stake her claim to the front of the 91-rider field. A position she would hold until the finish. Slotting behind her were Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime), Zoe Backstedt (Canyon-Sram), Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon), Pieterse, and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck).
By the end of the first lap, Schreiber had an 11-second lead on Backstedt and though she bobbled on a banked muddy section. she not only held her gap but increased it by the end of the lap.
Mid-way through the race, Schreiber has a solid 28 seconds on the chase group led by Brand who put down the power, dropping Backstedt, and Alvarado.
By the start of the fifth lap, Schreiber had 19 seconds on the chase and was focused on riding cleanly to claim the win. Brand was setting the pace in the chase group with Pieterse closing the gap but a mistake cost Pieterse some time while behind her Annemarie Worst (Cyclocross Reds), Van der Heijden were chasing while a surging Ana Holmgren (Lidl-Trek) has moved up briefly to the 11th spot after starting on the fourth row.
At the start of the bell lap, Brand had a seven-second lead on Pieterse but a mistake on the downhill - the same spot where she had a problem in the pre-ride - cost her four seconds but she was able to hold on for second place, ahead of Pieterse.
Worst finished fourth and Van der Heijden was fifth.
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