“That world title has always been the goal”: Puck Pieterse sets sights on Hulst after perfect World Cup weekend

Puck Pieterse left Hoogerheide with another World Cup win, but her focus was already fixed firmly on what comes next. After completing a flawless weekend with back-to-back victories, the Dutch rider made it clear that the bigger target remains the World Championships in Hulst.

Speaking after the race to Sporza, Puck Pieterse framed her Hoogerheide win as a test of judgement and execution rather than dominance. Reflecting on the constantly regrouping race, she pointed to the way Amandine Fouquenet shaped the dynamics from the front.

Fouquenet “rode a tactical race, which meant they kept coming back from behind,” Pieterse said, explaining why the contest resisted an early split.

Rather than forcing the issue, Pieterse relied on precision to gradually tip the balance. “I think I was a little better through the corners, and that made the difference,” she said, identifying the small margins that eventually allowed her to distance Kristyna Zemanova and secure victory in the closing moments.

Despite the momentum of two World Cup wins in two days, Pieterse was quick to shift the conversation away from form and towards ambition. “The World Championships? That world title has always been the goal,” she said, underlining that Hoogerheide was part of a broader build-up rather than a destination.

Her assessment of what lies ahead was measured rather than triumphant. “It will be a fiercely contested battle,” Pieterse added, acknowledging the depth of the field she will face when the rainbow jersey is on the line.

The timing, however, could hardly be better. Victories in Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide have shown Pieterse capable of winning in different ways, from seizing decisive moments to managing long tactical battles. As she now turns her attention to UCI Cyclocross World Championships Hulst, the message from Hoogerheide was not just that she is winning, but that she is winning with intent, clarity, and a singular objective in mind.