"All focus is on the National Championships and the World Championships" - Puck Pieterse determined to secure jersey this winter
Cyclocross
One of the leading lights in women's cyclocross, Puck Pieterse is determined to end the season with a jersey and a title. Given her strong form already this winter, it's not exactly out of the question either.
In seven races this winter, Pieterse only has one victory coming at Duinencross Koksijde. She has been consistently there or thereabouts though, and after coming 2nd behind Lucinda Brand in her latest outing at World Cup Dendermonde, Pieterse could be hitting top form at just the right time. "A championship is a championship. A European Championship is too early in the season for me, so all focus is on the National Championship and the World Championship," she explains in quotes collected by IDL.
As Pieterse is willing to note herself though, she isn't yet the finished article. "I still lack that power on the flat and uphill. What you saw on the climb in Baal, for example, Lucinda and Fem were just a little bit stronger," she explained after Dendermonde. "If I can pedal a little bit more power on the flat, if that's in it, it should be fine."
Although the duo of the aforementioned Brand and Fem van Empel won't be present at the Dutch National Championships, the presence of Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and others are arguably just as tough. "I think a battle with everyone is more interesting of course. So yes, it is a shame that they are not there," Pieterse says, giving a reveal to her upcoming preparation. "I think it will be more like extra training. And really doing some specific blocks. The cross rhythm is there now. Now just that last bit of power."
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- Hirschi and Alaphilippe on Cancellara's team, honestly sounds like a great choice if they manage to play the game the way Van der Poel did, a few years ago. They know where they need to be at the end of next year, in terms of points, so now it's just a question of being there. I'm not sure Alaphilippe will play the role he dreams of, and his jerky movements on the bike continue to annoy me, but I truly wish him and the team the best of luck in reaching their goal. It makes for better racing when teams like Tudor (he still refers to it as a "project," love that) are fighting to get into the World Tour.RidesHills09-01-2025
- Nice to see him with a sense of humor about the wins. That's actually a really good sign of how he's feeling, most of the time.RidesHills09-01-2025
- He’s good at messing up his WCs ;-)Mistermaumau09-01-2025
- so, tom could dedicate himself to CX all year, every year and probably never beat mathieu in a cyclocross world championship, barring a crash or injury or whatever. does pidcock have that kind of advantage over van der poel in XCO, or is that a gap mvdp can close even at this latter stage of mathieu’s career?OCexile09-01-2025
- Yes, I also think teams should start re-evaluating their TdF commitments according to rider goals. As long as a rider doesn’t have any realistic chance of sone form of glory, don’t force them just to end up with a forgettable result, give someone else on the team the experience and chance to prove themselves and let your better rider focus on goals they CAN aim for. You really get the feeling some riders are being forced to pretend they can achieve something when they know they haven’t got a hope.Mistermaumau09-01-2025
- It’s very difficult to say now since he’s hardly ever raced over the last 5-6 years. Had he continued when he was good at it he’d most definitely have won it at some point, the type of course playing a decisive role. But business dictated he should focus more on road racing. Much as he tries, you can’t be everywhere at once and win it all and there are only so many years to a career.Mistermaumau09-01-2025
- I hope for the sake of others she doesn’t become an expert ;-) As OCexile has pointed out she’s capable enough of winning already. The others won’t be as tolerant of her as the men are of Pog if she starts sweeping everything up.Mistermaumau09-01-2025
- i’m ashamed to admit that i really don’t know enough about mtb and xco to know mathieu’s chances of winning world’s if he dedicates his season to that discipline once the spring classics are over. anyone want to take a moment to enlighten me i’d appreciate your take on it.OCexile09-01-2025
- So he goes to FDJ lol.Suipedali09-01-2025
- Cannot blaim him with those 2 super humansspock12309-01-2025