"Hard work is rewarded" - Inge van der Heijden on her first World Cup podium of this winter

Puck Pieterse, Inge van der Heijden and Zoe Bäckstedt stepped onto the podium in Zonhoven World Cup. The two, who were also on the podium in Gullegem yesterday, were lucky that Lucinda Brand dropped out.

"I really surprised myself, especially how I felt after yesterday," she refers to her third place in Gullegem in an interview for WielerFlits. "During the reconnaissance I had bad legs, but during the race I felt strong everywhere. I took it easy on the descents, I didn't take any risks there, but uphill I went full throttle. I really surprised myself here."

Read also

Geraint Thomas to the Giro; Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodríguez to the Tour - INEOS Grenadiers to repeat 2023 Grand Tour plans

"Hard work is rewarded," continues the Dutch lady of Crelan-Corendon. "And I hope to be able to maintain this form. Today was a great day. At first I thought I had put all my energy down yesterday, which really felt like an attack on my body. But Zonhoven always does something with me, it's such a cool competition. Being here on the podium really feels good to me."

Read also

Felipe Nystrom on finding cycling after drugs, explaining van der Poel incident and lack of financing: "I have no sponsors. I depend on a GoFundMe campaign"

Mathieu van der Poel makes it a perfect 10 with victory in Zonhoven