Shirin Van Anrooij (Baloise-Glowi Lions) feels that she is improving 'step by step' after finishing runner-up in Sunday's UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup at Koksijde.
After the former junior and under-23 cyclocross world champion spent two years away from the sport undergoing surgery for iliac artery endofibrosis last winter, she returned in mid-November at the Tábor World Cup. Before Sunday, the 23-year-old's best result was third place in the Terralba World Cup in Sardinia two weeks ago.
At Koksijde, the sand specialist closed a gap of 14 seconds to Baloise-Glowi Lions team-mate Lucinda Brand and Aniek Van Alphen (Seven Racing) early in the race, but was unable to follow the pace of her experienced team-mate, who took a solo victory by 36 seconds.
Riding alone Van Anrooij was able to take her own lines through the deep sand pits at Koksijde and kept a distance ahead of the battle for third place, which was eventually edged by Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck).
"I’m super-happy with it,” said Van Anrooij. "I am very satisfied. I was actually quite good with the start and then a gap was created. In that second lap I was able to close it and in the end Lucinda [Brand] was just too strong on all the intermediate pieces.
"I think second was just the highest attainable. Through the sand I had really good lines, but I think I'm missing the in between part after missing so many races.
"I feel like I’m not there yet to keep going all the time. I feel like I’m getting there step by step, it’s getting there again."
Van Anrooij is no stranger to competing for victories at the highest level in cyclo-cross after winning the World Cups at Zonhoven, Gavere and Beekse Gergen, the most recent of those coming in January 2023.
The Dutch rider has previously won at Koksijde when it was part of the X20 Trofee series and had targeted winning this year's World Cup.
"I had a goal to win Koksijde this year because I really wanted to win it as a World Cup," she added.
Van Anrooij placed sixth in Saturday's World Cup at Antwerp and will be in action again on Monday at Hofstade. The race at Antwerp was the first of 12 races in 15 days during the Kerstperiode of Christmas cyclocross races in Belgium.
When asked about riding her second race in as many days, Van Anrooij added: "Of course, that was equally exciting. Tomorrow the third cross, so that might be a little more exciting. I am very satisfied with it. In the end the Christmas period is still very long and the form is fortunately present."
For Van Anrooij to taste success this cyclocross season she will likely have to beat Baloise-Glowi Lions team-mate, Brand. The 36-year-old clinched the 80th win of her cyclocross career in the sand at Koksijde, but her first at the notorious venue.
It was Brand's eighth successive victory as she leads the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup overall. Brand’s achievement is made even more impressive after her mum died prior to an emotional victory at Terralba two weeks ago.
When asked how she plans to challenge Brand, Van Anrooij replied: "I think with great admiration, what she is showing is just really special. Especially, of course, given her home situation over the past few weeks. She lost her mom.
"When you see how she dealt with it in Sardinia and actually still deals with it, it's actually just super smart.
"I just think it's very special how she can ride like this week after week and also finish on the podium so many times in a row, 54 times.'
It was a brilliant day for Baloise Glowi Lions’ women’s team as Belgian Fleur Moors came through from an eighth row start to finish 17th and third under-23 competitor.
"Having Fleur [Moors] back here in the stage tent for the podium makes it even more beautiful," added Van Anrooij.
After also missing the start of the cyclocross season Alvarado also continued her progression with a third-place finish at Koksijde, having finished as runner-up in Antwerp on Saturday.
She said: "I can be very satisfied with yesterday and today. I don't have a victory yet, but maybe that will come."
