Brand and Van der Poel seal weekend of dominance at World Cup Koksijde
The UCI Cyclocross World Cup continued on Sunday at Koksijde, also known as 'Duinencross' (Cross of the Dunes).
24 hours after Saturday's Kerstperiode opener a couple of hours east at Antwerp, Lucinda Brand and Mathieu van der Poel doubled up to emphatically dominate the weekend, both of them racing off the front for at least half their respective events.
Brand's fifth win of the series saw the 36-year-old extend the World Cup lead she took over from Aniek van Alphen on Saturday, and in the elite men's classification, a second-consecutive runner-up finish for Laurens Sweeck ensured the Belgian would also keep the jersey.
The Kerstperiode continues on Monday with a long-awaited return to Hofstade almost 20 years after it was last raced, then it's over to Heusden-Zolder on Tuesday, after which the field gets a few days off before racing resumes on the 26th.
Look out for the first of Escape Collective's bumper Kerstperiode galleries to close this opening weekend.
Junior men’s top 5
- Giel Lejeune (Belgium) 45:05
- Delano Heeren (Netherlands) “
- Cas Timmermans (Netherlands) +0:01
- Benjamin Noval Suarez (Spain) +0:13
- Filippo Grigolini (Italy) +:48
Junior women’s top 5
- Lise Revol (France) 43:21
- Laly Pichon (France) +1:11
- Isis Versluis (Netherlands) +1:33
- Elisa Bianchi (Italy) +1:52
- Zita Peeters (Belgium) +1:55
Under-23 men’s top 5
- David Haverdings (Netherlands) 51:40
- Aubin Sparfel (France) +0:05
- Guus Van Den Eijnden (Netherlands) +0:07
- Keije Solen (Netherlands) +0:10
- Yordi Corsus (Belgium) +0:30
Elite women’s top 5
- Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) 48:08
- Shirin van Anrooij (Baloise Glowi Lions) +0:36
- Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) +1:03
- Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) +1:07
- Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) +1:11
Elite men’s top 5
- Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 56:36
- Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) +0:07
- Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:13
- Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:23
- Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens) +1:04
