"I felt like going all-in" - Puck Pieterse takes the risk but not the win at Troyes World Cup
Cyclocross
It was a successful return to cyclocross from Puck Pieterse, however one without a win. The Dutch national champion put on an aggressive performance in Troyes but could only manage a second place on the day.
“It was a very tough race, I was definitely woken up. I had a very good start, I felt like going all-in. I placed a few attacks, but then Ceylin [del Carmen Alvarado] placed one really good attack. I just couldn't keep up," Pieterse admitted following the race. The explanation was quite simple, the Dutchwoman cracked in the second half of the race, unable to keep up with a high pace, whereas Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado was able to keep it all the way into the finish.
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"I was very enthusiastic at the start, that's for sure. The two of us immediately had a gap. Then I had to pay for it," Pieterse says. Her lap times lowered, she payed a high price for her early attacks in the race. "I think I caught my breath a bit, yes. If you haven't raced for a while, you need to get back into it," she adds however, pushing away pressure from the victory.
"Am I satisfied? Second is podium, so at least I woke up feeling good. But when Ceylin kept coming back, it came to mind that you ride more with mud tires and have more resistance. That's why I decided to switch again, but I don't know if it was faster.” Either ways the 20-year old is back to competition and will be chasing more wins in the meantime, whilst Fem van Empel is also currently away from racing.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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🏆 UCI World Cup Troyes 🇫🇷 🥇 🇳🇱 Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado 🥈 🇳🇱 Puck Pieterse 🥉 🇳🇱 Lucinda Brand 4 🇮🇹 Casasola 5 🇳🇱 Van der Heijden 6 🇱🇺 Schreiber 7 🇳🇱 Worst 8 🇬🇧 Backstedt 9 🇫🇷 H. Clauzel 10 🇳🇱 Bentveld ➡️ Results: bit.ly/3R54MwO #CXWorldCup
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