Thijs Zonneveld finally won a MTB Beach Race in Texel: "I felt like I had a chance to win in a few beach races, but I didn't"

Thijs Zonneveld has won the MTB Beach Race Texel. The BEAT Cycling rider, who specialises in off-road events, crossed the finish line solo. Daan van Sintmaartensdijk came second, Ivar Slik third.

The race on the beach of Wadden Island Texel was a total of 52 kilometers long. Zonneveld rode away from an elite group in the final and managed to hold out on his own. "This was necessary," the 43-year-old rider said afterwards on BEAT Cycling's social media. "I felt like I had a chance to win in a few beach races, but I didn't. Sometimes I was more disappointed about that than other times."

"Today I felt very good about the race, I didn't miss the shot once. In the final, two groups came together and there was silence for a moment. Then I knew: this is my moment. I was gone immediately and when I looked back once, I actually knew it had happened. I am very happy about this."

The MTB Beach Race Texel was the second of seven competitions in the Beach Race Top Competition. At the end of October, the first race in Noordwijk was won by Daan van Sintmaartensdijk. He retained his number one position in the regularity rankings on Sunday.