UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, Valkenburg 2018: U23 Women Results

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Evie Richards wins U23 world title in Valkenburg (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Evie Richards (Great-Britain) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Evie Richards on her way to winning U23 world title in Valkenburg (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Evie Richards wins U23 world title in Valkenburg, Ceylin del Carmen Alverado second and Nadja Heigl third (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Evie Richards (Great Britain) wins the women's u23 title at the Cyclo-cross Worlds (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Once she was in the lead Evie Richards (Great Britain) never looked back (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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The main contenders in the women's U23 race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Evie Richards (Great Britain) rides through the mud in Valkenburg (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Evie Richards (Great Britain) made it two wins from two for Great Britain at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships with a fantastic solo ride. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Netherlands) took silver, 38 seconds back, while bronze went to Nadia Heigl (Austria) at 1:04.

After Ben Tulett’s victory in the junior men’s race, all eyes were on 2016 U23 world champion Richards as the favourite to take the rainbow jersey. The 20-year-old won the Elite World Cup race at Namur in December, also finishing third at Hoogerheide last weekend.

Emma White (USA) led proceedings early on as Richards slipped in the thick mud, but it wasn’t long before she took to the front. Alvarado briefly made it a lead duo, but Richards was soon out front alone.

A twelve minute opening lap meant there would be three total, and at the end of the first Richards led by 21 seconds - a comfortable gap with no large group behind. Compatriot, and Malvern clubmate, Harriet Harnden held the second spot - an impressive feat at just 16 years old.

Heigl and Alvarado were on a mission though - sweeping past White midway through the lap before hunting down Harnden before the start of the final lap. With Richards far up the road, it seemed as though the main fight would be over who took silver, but there was some drama yet to come.

Starting her final lap, it was clear that Richards had a problem. With her derailleur stuck in the small cog, she was forced to spin her way round to the pits. With a smaller lead it might have been disastrous, but eventually she only lost a handful of seconds to the two chasers.
Alvarado pushed on the final lap, her effort proving too much for Heigl in the battle for silver having snuck up the inside of an off-camber corner.

Richards’ efforts, meanwhile, proved too much for herself - after crossing the line she fainted and had to be carried away from her bike, while 84 seconds later Harnden continued a great day for Great Britain, taking fourth place.

Full Results

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Evie Richards (Great Britain)	0:37:52
2	Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Netherlands)	0:00:38
3	Nadja Heigl (Austria)	0:01:04
4	Harriet Harnden (Great Britain)	0:01:24
5	Fleur Nagengast (Netherlands)	0:01:40
6	Sara Casasola (Italy)
7	Emma White (United States Of America)	0:01:59
8	Marion Norbert Riberolle (France)	0:02:03
9	Adéla Šafárová (Czech Republic)
10	Laura Verdonschot (Belgium)	0:02:41
11	Francesca Baroni (Italy)	0:02:51
12	Manon Bakker (Netherlands)	0:03:02
13	Silvia Persico (Italy)	0:03:09
14	Clara Honsinger (United States Of America)	0:03:15
15	Rebecca Gariboldi (Italy)	0:03:33
16	Malene Degn (Denmark)	0:03:52
17	Magdalena Mišonová (Czech Republic)	0:04:29
18	Inge Van Der Heijden (Netherlands)	0:04:45
19	Chiara Teocchi (Italy)	0:04:59
20	Emma Swartz (United States Of America)	0:05:12
21	Ruby West (Canada)	0:05:31
22	Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (Canada)	0:05:39
23	lara Gillespie (Ireland)	0:05:58
24	Anna Kay (Great Britain)	0:06:01
25	Katie Clouse (United States Of America)	0:06:08
26	Axelle Bellaert (Belgium)	0:06:12
27	Noemi Rüegg (Switzerland)	0:06:22
28	Jade Wiel (France)	0:06:25
29	Yara Kastelijn (Netherlands)	0:06:31
30	Hannah Arensman (United States Of America)
31	Lara Krähemann (Switzerland)	0:06:58
32	Marthe Truyen (Belgium)	0:07:17
33	Elizabeth Ungermanová (Czech Republic)	0:07:28
34	Irene Trabazo Bragado (Spain)	0:07:50
35	Tereza Vanícková (Czech Republic)	0:08:00
36	Luisa Ibarrola Albizua (Spain)	0:08:06
37	Suzanne Verhoeven (Belgium)	0:08:59
38	Agnieszka Szpocinska (Poland)	0:09:30
39	Laurel Rathbun (United States Of America)	0:13:08
40	Siobhan Kelly (Canada)	0:13:44