The long slog of catching up has started with a review of the #CXWorldCup in #Zonhoven. A totally changed course with some problems and some fun details.
#CXcoursereviews
https://jensdekkerblog.wordpress.com/2023/01/22/cx-course-reviews-2022-2023-zonhoven/

The long slog of catching up has started with a review of the #CXWorldCup in #Zonhoven. A totally changed course with some problems and some fun details.
#CXcoursereviews
https://jensdekkerblog.wordpress.com/2023/01/22/cx-course-reviews-2022-2023-zonhoven/

#Zonhoven round of the #CXWorldCup didn't disappoint today. Van Anrooij and Van Aert have both been absolutely flying over the holiday periods, especially in the sand those two have just bossed the fields.

Few mistakes from Fem, Puck & Van der Poel cost them their respective races, though Van der Poel's head really went down after his while Fem fought back really well.

The battle for 4th in the women's race was fantastic as well.

#cyclocross #ProCycling

RT @cyclocross24@twitter.com

🗨️ 🇳🇱 Mathieu van der Poel: "I think I can be very short. It's not going how I like it. My back is hurting again. I can maybe ride half a lap at the pace that I want but then I have to hold back because of the pain. It's super frustrating." #Zonhoven

Too many mistakes today from van der Poel to allow for a big duel with van Aert in the men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven.
Sweeck has managed to get rid of Vanthourenhout in the fight for 3rd, making good use of his handling skills in the sand.
1. Wout van Aert in 58.49
2. Mathieu van der Poel + 1.23
3. Laurens Sweeck + 1.31
4. Michael Vanthourenhout + 2.02
5. Quinten Hermans + 2.08
6. Lars van der Haar + 2.17
7. Niels Vandeputte + 2.37
8. Jens Adams + 2.49
9. Kevin Kuhn + 3.01

Van Aert is going into the final lap of the men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven - no mistakes or weaknesses to be seen with the Belgian champion today in and around the famous kuil.
Van der Poel has conceded more time and is trailing at 1min22, Vanthourenhout and Sweeck follow at 1min51. Hermans and van der Haar at 2min2, so likely just out of contention for the fight for 3rd.

Here's the race situation in the men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven with two laps to go:
race leader van Aert
van der Poel + 1.01
Vanthourenhout, Sweeck + 1.22
Hermans, van der Haar + 1.42
Vandeputte + 2.03
Adams + 2.12

There still is some life in Mathieu van der Poel: The Dutchman seems to have found his mojo in lap 6 of the men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven. As a consequence of some strong riding in sand section he's dropped Vanthourenhout and Sweeck. But of course the gap to van Aert has grown to over one minute already. Hermans and van der Haar still engaged in their battle for 5th.
Two laps to go for race leader Wout van Aert now, and only 44mins ridden.

After 5 laps in the men's Worldcup #cyclocross race in #Zonhoven, van Aert is 1min04 ahead of the chasers Sweeck, Vanthourenhout and van der Poel and 1min25 ahead of Hermans and van der Haar.
That is one dominating performance today by Wout.

Een minuut voorsprong. Mannekes toch. Angstaanjagend. #Zonhoven #Cyclocross

The men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven is in gap 5 of a total of 8 laps.
Van der Poel is now following Sweeck and Vanthourenhout, seemingly settling for the fight for 2nd place. Wout van Aert is riding a lonely race in the lead today. Further back, Lars van der Haar is getting company from Quinten Hermans in the fight for 5th place.

Ethiopia Sidamo en #cyclocross #zonhoven

Lap 3 of the men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven: A stumble by van der Poel in the sand as his front wheel digs in, and Wout van der Aert is up and gone again in the race lead. Van der Poel on the other hand gets company from Vanthourenhout and Sweeck.
Van Aert now with a seizable gap of 15secs after 3 laps, van der Haar at 27secs.

Van Aert with a gap to van der Poel after a strong descent and an acceleration in lap 2 of the men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven. Vanthourenhout and Sweeck further behind as a duo, then Lars van der Haar on his own.
Van Aert does not insist on the finishing straight, and van der Poel crosses the line 2secs behind, closing in. Sweeck and Vanthourenhout at 18secs already, van der Haar at 27secs and all the others at 52secs and more. The two bug guns showing their class again early on.

Three riders in the lead after lap 1 at the men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven: Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Michael Vanthourenhout.
First chasers Laurens Sweeck and Lars van der Haar. Sweeck speeds away from van der Haar early on in lap 2 in hot pursuit of the leading trio.

And the win is for Shirin van Anrooij who had a flawless race in and around the kuil. The top7 is an all Dutch affair - which is no surprise.

#cyclocross Worldcup #Zonhoven,
women's race:
1. Shirin van Anrooij in 51.44 minutes
2. Puck Pieterse + 0.37
3. Fem van Empel + 0.54
4. Lucinda Brand + 1.46
5. Ceylin Alvarado + 2.10
6. Inge van der Heijden + 2.27
7. Annemarie Worst + 2.41
8. Blanka Vas + 2.59
9. Line Burquier + 3.35
10. Laura Verdonschot + 3.41

Shirin van Anrooij is riding like a metronome today on #Zonhoven's Worldcup course - barely any visible mistakes from the young Dutch rider.
These are the standings going into the bell lap:
1. van Anrooij in 42.56 minutes
2. Pieterse + 0.38
3. van Empel + 1.00
4. Alvarado + 1.50
5. Brand + 1.53
6. van der Heijden + 1.56
7. Vas
8. Burquier
9. Verdonschot
#cyclocross

Standings with 2 laps to go in the women's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven
race leader Shirin van Anrooij
Pieterse + 0.29
van Empel + 1.03
van der Heijden, Alvarado + 1.32

Shirin van Anrooij keeps posting the fastest laps in the women's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven. She's extended her lead over Pieterse to 32secs now, 32mins into this race. Van Empel has moved up to 3rd now, reducing the number of mistakes and throwing some impressive watts at the sandy sections. Alvarado in 4th, closely followed by van der Heijden and Brand.

In lap 3 of the women's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Zonhoven, Inge van der Heijden has gone past Lucinda Brand, and Ceylin Alvarado and Fem van Empel are trailing closely. But all of this happens quite some way behind race leader van Anrooij and first chaser Puck Pieterse (+ 0.23). Van Empel has now gone past both Alvarado and Brand into 4th place. Van der HEijden at + 0.57, van Empel at + 0.59.