Eight years ago Marianne Vos won her seventh world title in cyclo-cross. After that she managed to win silver and two bronze medals again, but a new world title did not come. Until today. In the American Fayetteville she lived up to her favorite status and Vos added an eighth world title to her impressive palmares.
In advance a battle was expected between Vos and compatriot Lucinda Brand. It soon became clear that it would also be a duel between the two women.
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, world champion in 2020, was able to catch up in the first round and a half. When she had some trouble on a hill, Brand rushed away. Vos looked at it for a moment, but soon passed it and closed the gap with Brand. With five laps to go, the two favorites were together in the lead.
It could have been very different, because after half a minute Vos was almost on the ground. In the second corner she collided with Alvarado’s rear wheel. Half falling, Vos nearly ended up in the fences, but she just managed to keep herself standing.
frustration
With four rounds to go, Vos caused frustration for Brand. Several times the reigning world champion indicated that the rider from Babyloniënbroek should take over. Vos remained cool and did not react. Relying on her speed at the end of the race and in a possible sprint, she preferred to let riders join in from the background than to cycle in the lead and lose too much energy. It caused visible frustration at Brand.
Vos was continuously in Brand’s wheel, who was never given the space to drive away. Towards the end of the fourth round, Brand forced Vos into the lead. Just before the penultimate round, Vos asked Brand to take over, who in turn refused. Not much later, Brand was back in the lead.
Decision
With one and a half laps to go, Vos stepped on the pedals on the hill. She took two bike lengths ahead of Brand, but she didn’t really start off yet. It seemed like a pinprick, more of a final round test. A few more half attempts followed, but each time Vos got back into Brand’s wheel just as quickly.
Vos relied completely on her speed in the sprint in a duel with Brand. And rightly so, as it turned out. She was the first to cross the finish line by sprinting and thus – smart driving – took her eighth world title in cyclo-cross.
Besides Vos, two more Brabant ladies finished in the top ten. Yara Kastelijn finished fifth, Inge van der Heijden was ninth.