Gavere win "gives a lot of confidence for the coming period" says Puck Pieterse, on her first win of the season

Puck Pieterse has put on several strong performances throughout the year and today everything finally clicked. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider finally took her first win of the season, beating Fem van Empel in a race that proved to be more complicated than expected.

“I am very happy, I really wanted to win. If it still works out, that's great. I'm very happy that I won again. Last week I already felt good, but then I wasn't there, also due to some mistakes on my part. To be in the lead from the start is very special. Usually when I'm doing well, I fall once or twice on the first lap. I sometimes joke about that to Ceylin [del Carmen Alvarado] and stuff," Pieterse said in a post-race interview. "But fortunately it didn't matter much now. At the same time, your bike will be destroyed in a fall, so it is best to just stay on the bike. But I did look up the risks.”

It was a race from the front. The Dutchwoman took up the lead very early on in the race and then thrived in the technical sections and grinding climbs. Distancing Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado at first, but then holding on to the lead against Fem van Empel. It is also an important motivating factor, specially as the riders entered the Christmas block and face many important events.

“Of course that does something. Someone had to do it and everyone wanted to do it. It's a shame for Fem, but nice for me. It also gives a lot of confidence for the coming period. I was always told that things would be fine during the Christmas period. It's great that that is actually the case, because otherwise you naturally start to doubt yourself.”