Voorafgaand aan alle hectiek bij de heren was er de vrouwencross, welke een kolfje naar de hand van Pieterse was! #pieterse #hulst
Pieterse has great Christmas season and cracks 'Van Empel code' once again: "I never left"
Cyclo-crossSunday, 31 December 2023 at 12:44
Puck Pieterse is back at the top. Or perhaps, she never left? On the 26th, 28th and 30th of December, she achieved three consecutive victories in Gavere, Diegem and Hulst, respectively. It seems that she has found the key to success in cracking the 'Fem van Empel code'. IDLProCycling.com was there to witness all three of Pieterse's victories!
The supremacy of the Jumbo-Visma star seemed to be taking unprecedented forms until Pieterse surprisingly rained on Van Empel's parade on Boxing Day. "During the running, I really felt that I was struggling. I found it very difficult to maintain a constant pace there. Fortunately, other sections suited me better. That way, I could always make a difference after the climbs," the winner from Amersfoort in the Netherlands said at the time. "Actually, I didn't do anything special in training to suddenly make everything fall into place. Of course, it's the holidays now, that might help. Now my full focus is on cyclo-cross. Oh, and of course, the coffee stops and the pints of beer! I think those made the difference," she jokingly told our website.
Pieterse wanted to peak in the field over the Christmas period
Two days later, just a stone's throw from Brussels, came another success for the 21-year-old Fenix-Deceuninck rider. In the evening cyclo-cross in Diegem, there was no stopping the unleashed Dutch champion. Van Empel was not present, but that's beside the point. "The plan was to ride as hard as possible right from the start and break away that way. I knew that a gap of fifteen to twenty seconds on a loop like that in Diegem is very hard to close. It went really well," she told IDLProCycling.com afterward. We then asked for more details on her 'comeback'. "I never really left," she clarified with a big smile.
"In consultation with the team, it was decided I had to be in good shape during the Christmas period, in particular. That was when I had to make it happen, as well as in the championships, of course," she told us afterward. "The entire approach this season has been tailored to that. It remains a bit of an experiment to find out the best way to reach my peak leading up to a certain event. Everything has to be perfect for the Olympic Games. But so far, everything is on schedule, so that's great."
Mountain bike season was highlight of 2023 for Pieterse
And indeed, Pieterse has excelled during the Christmas period. In Hulst, she relegated all other world-class competitors to the lower ranks. "It's really fun to race in the Netherlands. It's cool to see so many Dutch supporters. That creates a great atmosphere," she was immensely excited about the race in Zeeland. "I hope my legs still work after Diegem. We'll see. Hopefully, we can make it a good battle. So far, I've only cracked the 'Van Empel code' once. It would be nice to do that more often. Hopefully, I can confirm the evolution of the past few weeks. The confidence is definitely there."
About two hours later, we witnessed a third consecutive hit for the versatile lady, who started an early solo but kept things very exciting. "I had a lead of between ten and twenty seconds throughout the race. And I knew that Lucinda Brand and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado would go all out in the final round. In that case, a lead like that is not much."
All's well that ends well for Pieterse, who, when asked by IDLProCycling.com for her favorite moments of 2023 - as if it were a proper year-end list - selected her highlights. "Phew, that's a tough question. If I had to choose a highlight, it would be the sum of all the World Cup stages in mountain biking. The entire mtb season was amazing, looking at all the beautiful trips we've made." And what about New Year's resolutions? "I don't have any resolutions in mind yet. I'm also not sure if I will make any. For me, it's mainly about living from race to race."
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024