19-year-old Leonie Bentveld stuns with third place in Flamanville: "I had dreamed of this, but certainly not expected it"
Cyclocross
It was to no one's surprise that Lucinda Brand came out victorious in Flamanville. However Leonie Bentveld crossing the line in third place today was not exactly part of the script. Still only 19-year-old Dutch woman had not expected this herself.
For the very young Bentveld, it is her first podium in a classification cross among the elite women. "This is very surprising. I had dreamed of this, but certainly not expected it," were her first words in the flash interview. "I felt very strong today. A year ago I took the overall victory in the Junior World Cup here, in Flamanville. So I have good memories of this place."
"The course suits me well and I was really looking forward to this cross. That turned out very well," said Bentveld, who even had a view of second place. "I got close to Schreiber on the third lap, but I was too happy with a third place. I may have been riding a little too safely, as I was also working on the leader's jersey in the U23 World Cup."
Bentveld had a very good day, but was also already longing for some rest. "I also noticed during the cross that I was ready for a week in Spain, after a difficult first half of the season."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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