"I regret it now" - Yara Kastelijn explains controversial catch of Shirin van Anrooij

Yara Kastelijn had a crucial say in the outcome of the women's Gravel World Championships, having chased down Shirin van Anrooij in the final kilometers for no apparent reason, ending her own chances of getting a medal in the process. The Fenix-Deceuninck rider explained why she did that at the end of the race as well as having apologized for the world title she took from her compatriot.

"I absolutely didn't want to lose Shirin. I just wanted to get the most out of myself," she said in a message shared by the team. After van Anrooij had attacked and looked certain for victory, it was Kastelijn who brought back the move, leading out Lorena Wiebes, Marianne Vos and Silvia Persico to a certain podium.

A big reason for it was not understanding the race situation, as she believed Persico wasn't following her, and that a medal looked likely if she could catch van Anrooij. "But at that moment, I didn't really realize that the Italian Persico was nearby. Only later, when I watched the footage, did I fully realize that it wasn't the wisest move."

"Laurens ten Dam, our national coach, had also emphasized beforehand that the World Gravel Championships aren't raced with the same attitude as the European Road Championships. I took that a bit too literally in the final. Still, I regret it now," she admits.

There was a lot of backlash over that move, but she has explained her side of the story, finally giving logic to her tactics. "I learn from moments like this. I've since apologized to Shirin. At that moment, I was completely focused on my own race and on achieving the best possible result. I thought a podium finish was achievable." Both Kastelijn and van Anrooij should be protagonists in the upcoming cyclocross season.