The Queen is back! Marianne Vos happy with her performance at World Cup Besancon: "The whole lap was actually tough"
Cyclocross
Marianne Vos made her return to cyclocross with a strong
performance at the World Cup Besançon, finishing fifth in what was her first
race since January 2023. The Dutch legend expressed satisfaction with her
effort in the demanding conditions.
"It was a tough race, but I was happy that I could move
up in the peloton," said Vos, who quickly got back up to speed on her
cross bike. "When I was around fourth or fifth, it became really tough. I
didn’t have any energy left at the end. I fought until the finish. I’m happy
with today’s race."
Despite her fatigue, Vos enjoyed the competitive spirit of
the event:
"I was very, very tired. And when you are tired, your
coordination becomes a bit less. So the last lap was perhaps not the best lap.
But it was a nice duel with Zoe Bäckstedt. That was fun."
Vos also highlighted the challenging nature of the course, "The
whole lap was actually tough. There weren’t many parts to recover. When it goes
up, you have to push or run. And when you go down, you have to be very sharp
and focused, because every corner is slippery."
Read also
Vos’s performance in Besançon showed she very much still has
what it takes to compete with the young riders, as she made a promising return
to cyclocross competition. Fans will be eager to see how she builds on this
result in the upcoming races, and whether she can add yet another rainbow
jersey to her incredible collection.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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