Denise Betsema's form on the rise but Dutchwoman opts out of European Championships: "She wants to include an extra training block"

Denise Betsema suffered an accident recently which hampered her start of the cyclocross season, but her form is coming in. She was second to Fem van Empel yesterday at the Koppenbergcross, but will follow a different set of goals in the upcoming weeks and will skip the European Championships.

"I am not yet back to my old level. We may have to make some adjustments. Beforehand I dreamed of a podium place at the European Championships, but now we just have to see what we do and how it works out," Betsema told In de Leiderstrui. "We had planned for this cross (the Koppenbergcross, ed.), so this is a real boost. Maybe I'll skip that race after all. I also find it very difficult, but I will probably skip the European Championships anyway."

With the emergence of new talents in the discipline who are taking over, including van Empel, Betsema took only two victories last year in Ruddervoorde and Zonnebeke. She is aware that it will be a very difficult task to take wins at the highest level, and so she will keep working on her form for the upcoming week instead of focusing on the Europeans where she would be an outsider at most.

The Dutch rider had already virtually confirmed her absence, however the national team has in the meantime also confirmed that she will not be present in Pontchâteau. "Betsema has informed national coach Gerben de Knegt that he will not start. She wants to include an extra training block to appear even stronger in the coming period."