Marianne Vos wins Rucphen World Cup

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Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo–Visma) sprinted to her third World Cup victory of the season denying world champion rider Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) in a close finish. 

A last-lap effort from Brand put her rival under pressure and despite a late mistake costing Vos a few metres she had enough speed to power past her rival at the finish, while Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) took a close third. 

Six leaders, all from host country Holland, traded tentative blows throughout the race but they stayed together on the fast course. 

Vos attacked with just over a lap remaining and was joined by Betsema and Brand, leaving three riders to battle out the final lap. 

World champion Brand put in a lengthy attack on the final lap but failed to shake Vos who came around her rival in the sprint finish. 

“It was a very fast race and if you make a small mistake it can make the difference,” said Vos. 

“Luckily I could make it up and start a sprint again. It’s very fast so a small mistake can make 10 metres, which can make a big difference in the race. It’s very nice to win the race, a World Cup in the Netherlands but without spectators. Anyway, it was very nice to take the victory.” 

Brand leads the World Cup series going into the 11th round of the series tomorrow in Namur. 

“It was very tactical and explosive at high speed,” said Brand. 

“It was really different to other races where it is more about power. Here you need to combine that with speed so it was definitely tough.”

How it unfolded

Due to Government guidelines in the Netherlands racing was forced back behind closed doors and the course provided a different challenge to the snow at Val di Sole last weekend. 

The fast course contained a host of corners and short banks suiting punchy riders, along with a short sand section, asphalt start and a carousel spiral. 

Using her fast road legs it was Vos  who led away from the start, tightly marked by fellow WorldTour rider Brand.

After winning at the Dutch venue three times previously Vos put in a lightening start gliding around the opening corners and forcing Brand to chase. 

Under-23 riders Fem Van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Fenix) were also able to follow the pace of Vos in an early group of four leaders. 

Overall series challenger Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) found herself in a chasing group nine seconds behind after the opening lap. 

After withstanding the first lap pressure Brand, fresh from a Majorca training camp last weekend, forced the pace and putting the under-23 pair under pressure. 

A second lap bike change on the fast course for Pieterse meant she lost valuable time and she had to chase back onto the leaders while Van Emple dug deep to maintain her position in the quartet. 

Behind Betsema was joined by Annemarie Worst (777) but a small mistake in the sandpit meant their gap behind went out to 15 seconds after two laps. 

An easing in pace after three laps allowed Betsema and Worst to reach across to the leading group to make six riders at the head of proceedings. 

With four wins to her name this season Betsema went straight through the group and launched an attack on her fellow leaders which was closely monitored. 

The pressure from Betsema started to tell as Pieterse and Worst lost time a handful of seconds with three laps remaining but dug deep to regain ground. 

With just over two laps remaining Betsema, Vos and Brand went alongside each other coming into a corner briefly touching elbows in the fight for the lead. 

Coming into the penultimate lap the six Dutch leaders who jostling for position and a slide for Pieterse on a muddy ascent held up Worst. Vos was the first to make her bid for glory attacking on a bridge and then putting her rivals under pressure on the following corners. 

The Team Jumbo–Visma was closely followed by Betsema and Brand to leave three riders to battle out the podium positions on the final lap. Attempting to use her strength to break her rivals Brand pushed the pace on the final lap but was closely monitored by Vos with Betsema put under pressure. 

A small mistake by Vos on the final lap gave Brand a slender gap which her Dutch rival quickly closed. Vos came side by side with Brand into the hurdles before slipping on the remount giving her rival a slender advantage. 

However, on a long asphalt sprint finish Vos came alongside her rival and took victory.