After picking up an opening race victory to kick off last year's Exact Cross season, Denise Betsema had to settle for just 3rd position this time around. Finishing 1:24 behind the winner and her teammate Fem van Empel, Betsema seemed unflustered post-race despite the big gap, saying "I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season, hopefully the difference will be smaller,"
Betsema revealed she was "not shocked by this difference" and admitted that “Everyone has to get back into the rhythm a bit, at least that applies to me." With the riders off to Beringen for the next race, Betsema will be hoping that rhythm has returned and she can close the gap to her teammate.
In what was an extremely successful weekend for the Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal team, van Empel's 1st and Betsema's 3rd placed finishes in the women's race was backed up by Michael Vanthourenhout and Eli Iserbyt taking the top 2 steps on the podium of the men's race.
Gracious in defeat, Betsema was full of praise for her dominant teammate, "I think Fem is really on top form and has made a lot of progress. I couldn't keep up with it". Now as previously mentioned, attention turns to Beringen as Betsema and the rest of the pack look to close the gap.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Betsema schrikt niet van achterstand op Van Empel: “Seizoen duurt nog lang” wielerflits.nl/nieuws/betsema… #veldrijden #cross
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