Past European champion Michael Vanthorenhout and 2021 world champion Lucinda Brand proved best in the Dublin round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup on Sunday, taking the elite men’s and women’s races in fine style.
Vanthourenhout swooped on the final lap of the Sport Ireland campus race after Pauwels-Sauzen Bingoal team-mate Eli Iserbyt ran wide on a corner and clipped a barrier, losing speed.
The Belgian put in a big dig to gap the rest, then held off Toon Aerts (Team Deschacht-Hens-FSP), Felipe Orts (Ridley Racing Team) and Iserbyt over the final minute of racing.
“I feel I was very good, so I tried to wait until the end,” he said. “I think it was a good decision.”
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Brand (Baloise-Trek Lions) had a clearer victory in the women’s event, beating current world champion Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) by 24 seconds and Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM) by 1:03.
Race favourite Van Empel lost time early on with a puncture. She fought back to rejoin Brand, but then was gapped in one of the sand sections.
“I don’t know if she had a problem again with her bike or something, because in the beginning she looked strong and confident coming back,” Dutchwoman Brand said of Van Empel. “But maybe it cost her too much energy.”
Both Vanthourenhout and Brand took over as leaders of the World Cup after this second round.
Greta Lawless was best of the Irish, taking a fine 10th in the junior women’s World Cup race.
“I didn’t really expect it,” she said. “I had exams this week and I was sick the week before so not the most ideal run up. But once the race started, I just forgot about it and started picking off the riders.”
Conor Murphy was 14th in the junior men’s event with Curtis McKee 20th. Dean Harvey placed 20th in the under 23 men’s contest.
UCI Cyclocross World Cup round 2, Dublin:
Elite men’s race: 1 Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), 2 T Aerts (Deschacht – Hens – FSP), 3 Felipe Orts (Ridley Racing Team)
Best of Irish: 30 Darnell Moore
Elite women’s race: 1 Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) 2 F van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) 3 Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM)
Best of Irish: 38 Ester Wong
Under 23 men: 1 Jente Michels (Belgium), 2 Aaron Dockx (Belgium), 3 David Haverdings (Netherlands)
Best of Irish: 20 Dean Harvey
Junior men: 1 Soren Bruyere Joumard (France), 2 Giel Lejeune (Belgium) 3 Lennes Jacobs (Belgium)
Best of Irish: 20 Curtis McKee
Junior women: 1 Lidia Cusack (United States) 2 Lison Desprez (France) 3 Rafaelle Carrier (Canada)
Best of Irish: 10 Greta Lawless
