Pieterse shifts focus to MTB title defence, withdraws for road World Champs
Two weeks ago, Puck Pieterse was named on the seven-rider Dutch team roster for the elite women's road race at the World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, but the reigning under-23 road world champion has now withdrawn her name from the list as she turns her focus back to the mountain bike.
Pieterse has set her sights on the defence of her MTB world title, this year's event taking place in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on 13th September. In the run-up, the 23-year-old is expected to resume her off-road season at Les Gets at the end of August.
She's raced four World Cup rounds so far this year, winning short-track events at Nové Mesto, Leogang and Val di Sole, also winning the XCO races at the latter two.
Taking Pieterse's place on the Dutch Worlds squad is Riejanne Markus.
