Exact Cross Maldegem: Laura Verdonschot wins with authority over Leonie Bentveld and Manon Bakker
Cyclocross
The Exact Cross Maldegem was the first cyclocross race after the World Cup, which Fem van Empel won with great authority last Sunday. The victory went to the Belgian Laura Verdonschot.
Without the dominating rider on the starting grid, the race was very evenly matched with a group of four riders in the lead from the first laps. They were Verdonschot, Leonie Bentveld, Manon Bakker and Aniek van Alphen.
On the fourth lap van Alphen made a mistake in the sandy area and lost a few meters with respect to his fellow escapees, but was able to recover positions later. In the fifth, the one who seemed to have more strength, Verdonschot, managed to get a few seconds ahead of Bentveld and Bakker. Van Alphen was left out of the fight for the podium.
In the more technical areas of the circuit the pursuers were getting closer and by the penultimate lap (the sixth) the difference between the leader and her pursuers was only 4 seconds.
Despite the efforts of her rivals, Verdonschot was the strongest and took the solo win in the Exact Cross Maldegem. The podium was completed by Bentveld in second place and Bakker in third.
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Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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🚨🚴♀️ 𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎 | Nueva cita con el ciclocross en Maldegem 📺 Sigue la carrera femenina en @Eurosport_ES 1 y APP con los comentarios de @alixeurosport y @kapelmuur29. #ExactCross
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