The 23rd edition of the Egmond-Pier-Egmond beach race was won this afternoon in 59 minutes and 48 seconds by Ramon Sinkeldam. After cycling 38 kilometers on the beach, the Zaankanter remained ahead of Rick van Breda and the Belgian Jonas Rickaert, 6 and 9 seconds respectively. Among the women, Tessa Neefjes from Wervershoof was the fastest.
The expectation in advance was that with the northerly wind the riders would have the wind at their backs on the way to the IJmuiden pier and the game would therefore go directly to the cart. However, the wind came from the side. However, a leading group of eight men quickly formed: Ramon Sinkeldam, Aaron Verwilst, Rick Sinkeldam, Thijs Zonneveld, Jonas Rickaert, Menno Don, Jules de Cock and Daan van Sintmaartensdijk.
Little hole
At the beach exit of Castricum aan Zee, Van Breda and Sinkeldam tried to run away. They opened a small gap and took the lead with the two of them. Yet Rickaert, Sinkeldam’s teammate at Alpecin-Deceuninck, managed to rejoin. Sinkeldam sprinted fastest in the streets of Egmond. Verwilst and Zonneveld became numbers four and five.
“I knew I had one chance, I did everything I could, but the men were too strong,” Van Breda said afterwards about his attack in Castricum aan Zee. It is the second time that he has been beaten in the sprint on the Boulevard Noord. In 2018, the 33-year-old mountain biker from ‘t Zand defeated Jasper Ockeloen.
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Where Van Breda was disappointed, Sinkeldam beamed. “I knew I had good legs, but I didn’t expect this,” the road cyclist said afterwards. “Those guys who do beach races are all very strong in such an hour.” Sinkeldam will again focus on the classics on the road this spring.
Bless you Nephews
This year, for the first time, the women started at the same time as the men’s field. Early in the race, a North Holland leading group formed with Tessa Neefjes, Riejanne Markus and Maud Rijnbeek. Neefjes hit her stride in Castricum and took the obstacles (stairs and straw bales) most skillfully. She shook off her competitors and crossed the line in 1 hour 4 minutes and 45 seconds.
“It was painful, I immediately had a taste of blood in my mouth,” said Neefjes. “I think all the turning points are fantastic. That’s where I could make the difference. Solo across the finish line!” Neefjes was also the best in Egmond in 2020.