Puck Pieterse was unable to defend Dutch title against phenomenal Lucinda Brand: "You could see that she had a bit more power
Cyclocross
Puck Pieterse was satisfied with a second place at Dutch cyclocross Championships. Although she failed to defend her title, there was nothing she could have done about Lucinda Brand, she told WielerFlits afterwards.
"It wasn't my best race," Pieterse admits. "I had a good start and rode where I wanted to, but Lucinda was a bit faster today. You could see that she had a bit more power, especially on the straights. You always have to have confidence, but I don't think I came into the race in my best shape."
"This doesn't necessarily change anything in my preparation for the World Championships. I guess I just have to have confidence in how things are going now. It wasn't a bad race, was it? A championship is always a special competition. I'm now going to train in Spain. I will take some rest in the coming days and then I will fully dive into it again."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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