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Richards wins UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships women's U23 title

British rider takes rainbow jersey in the mud

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Evie Richards wins U23 world title in Valkenburg

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

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

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 on her way to winning U23 world title in Valkenburg

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

Evie Richards wins 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

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 wins U23 world title in Valkenburg

Evie Richards wins 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

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 wins U23 world title in Valkenburg, Ceylin del Carmen Alverado second and Nadja Heigl third

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

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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Evie Richards (Great Britain) wins the women's u23 title at the Cyclo-cross Worlds

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

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

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

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) wins the women's u23 title at the Cyclo-cross Worlds

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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Evie Richards on her way to winning U23 world title in Valkenburg

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

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

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