The Dutch cyclo-cross rider Shirin van Anrooij has won the fifth World Cup Cross of the season. Fem van Empel from Den Bosch sprinted to second place. The World Cup Cross was held for the first time at recreation park De Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek.
The 20-year-old from Anrooij (Baloise Trek Lions) kept behind Fem van Empel and Puck Pieterse in the sprint. Van Empel had won the first four cyclocross races in the World Cup series and remains the leader in the standings.
For a long time, Van Empel also seemed to control the race in Hilvarenbeek. The rider, who switches from Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal to Jumbo-Visma on January 1, had the best start and then took the lead with Pieterse and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, teammates at Alpecin-Deceuninck. The trio took away from riders like world champion Marianne Vos and Lucinda Brand, back after a hand injury.
Alvarado lost the connection after a slip and saw Van Anrooij, who did not have a good start, pass on the penultimate lap. At the start of the last round, the Zeelander, second behind Pieterse at the World U23 Championships, even brutally took the lead. She was the first to reach the finish line with the two in her wheel.