Baloise Trek Lions rider Shirin van Anrooij successfully delivered in Exact Cross Loenhout. Dutchwoman dominated the cross and finished a minute ahead of her rivals.
"This gives confidence," said van Anrooij in the post-race interview. She was the favourite in the absence of other top riders. Even Annemarie Worst and Blanka Kata Vas backed out at the last moment.
With a great start, Van Anrooij gained a 10-second advantage over her competitors. Despite their efforts, Marie Schreiber and Kristyna Zemanova were not able to catch the Dutchwoman. . "I soon had a gap. It was then a matter of pulling through well on the straight, so the rest couldn't come back," said the Dutchwoman.
She further added, "The course suited me, It felt really good. I was able to ride my own pace the whole race. After my lead was big enough, I looked for a new pace and tried not to make any more mistakes."
With a third win in the busy Christmas period, Van Anrooij is establishing herself as one of the women to watch in the World Championships. "This indeed gives a lot of confidence. Winning was the goal, but you still have to do it. Now I am going to rest a bit and then I will return to competition in Koksijde," the Dutchwoman concluded.
🏆 Exact Cross Loenhout - Azencross (C1) 🇧🇪 1 🇳🇱 Shirin van Anrooij 2 🇱🇺 Marie Schreiber 3 🇳🇱 Manon Bakker 4 🇳🇱 Molengraaf 5 🇫🇷 Burquier* 6 🇳🇱 Bentveld* 7 🇨🇿 Zemanová 8 🇬🇧 Kay 9 🇧🇪 Franck 10 🇺🇸 Munro * Unofficial, photo finish ➡️ Results: bit.ly/3WXZ6oJ
