Betsema and Worst miss out on Cyclo-cross Worlds due to fever and COVID-19

Netherlands Annemarie Worst L Netherlands Denise Betsema C and Netherlands Inge van der Heijden R celebrate on the podium after the women elite race of the Cyclocross Ruddervoorde the second stage of the Superprestige cyclocross cycling competition in Ruddervoorde western Belgium on October 23 2021 Belgium OUT Photo by DAVID STOCKMAN BELGA AFP Belgium OUT Photo by DAVID STOCKMANBELGAAFP via Getty Images
Worst (left) and Betsema (centre) on the podium at the Superprestige Ruddevoorde last October (Image credit: David Stockman/Belga/AFP via Getty Images)

The Dutch national team for the Cyclo-cross World Championships has suffered a blow as Denise Betsema and Annemarie Worst are both out of this weekend's competition in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Worst, who was runner-up at the last two Worlds, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is forced to miss the race, while Betsema is sick with a fever and has decided against making the trip despite testing negative for the virus.

Dani Ostanek
Senior News Writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, she had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur. She writes and edits at Cyclingnews as well as running newsletter, social media, and how to watch campaigns.