"If you don't cross the finish line completely empty, then you haven't done well" - Puck Pieterse gives her all but has to settle for 3rd at Cyclocross World Championships

Despite a bright start, it wasn't to be for Puck Pieterse on Saturday afternoon in Tabor. The Dutch talent had to settle for third at the Cyclocross World Championships.

Speaking after the race, Pieterse revealed she'd actually been battling illness in the run-up to the World Championships, although she made no excuses. "This carrot cake helped me with my recovery," she laughs. "If you don't cross the finish line completely empty, then you haven't done well."

Although Fem van Empel was far and away the brightest star on the day, taking a comfortable victory by over a minute, Pieterse was involved in a fierce battle for silver with another of her compatriots, Lucinda Brand. "It was a difficult race," she assesses. "Differences were made from the start and they only increased."

Despite the illness and being forced to wait another year to wear the Rainbow Jersey, Pieterse doesn't want to dwell on 'what ifs'. "We will never know," she concludes. "I was able to train well, so I don't know how much effect it had. I'm happy to have finished on the podium after such a week, but I was hoping to win here."