One week before the World Championships, Dutch cyclo-cross dominance in women’s races is disrupted by exceptionally strong Vas

The usual favorites had the best start near the gray and dreary Belgian town of Maasmechelen. Van Empel was the first to enter the field, but Alvarado and Vas were also sharp. Along with Brand, who had an unusually strong start by her standards, they formed a fast lead group. However, in cyclo-cross, that means little, as danger lurks in every corner — especially in the mud and on sloping sections.

Van Empel tangled with the course netting in a turn, Brand was dropped on the climbs, and Pieterse had just reached the front after a difficult start when Vas made her move. The Hungarian rider from SD Worx-Protime broke away impressively, creating gaps to solo chaser Pieterse, the duo of Brand and Zoe Bäckstedt, and Alvarado. Van Empel, meanwhile, was forced into a chase after her early slip-up.

After two of the five laps, Vas had built a six-second lead over Pieterse, who was joined by the steady-paced Bäckstedt. For a brief moment, it looked as though Vas and Bäckstedt might come together after Pieterse struggled on a sloping section. However, like Brand, Pieterse chose not to switch bikes at the equipment zone, resulting in a four-rider lead group by the halfway point of the race.

Another comeback miracle from Van Empel was not in the cards, as the world champion faced more delays on the sloping section. Marianne Vos, who had added Maasmechelen to her schedule last minute, also struggled and crashed multiple times. This left the ladies with a head-to-head battle, with positions constantly shifting. Bäckstedt entered the final lap as the leader, five seconds ahead of Vas and Pieterse, and eight seconds ahead of Brand.

Who was going to win? Actually, all of the four riders still had a chance, especially when Bäckstedt slipped on the dreaded sloping section. Vas immediately seized the opportunity, accelerating away, and when Pieterse flipped over the barriers, the contenders were suddenly down to three: Vas, Bäckstedt, or the surging Brand.

The final lap was nail-biting, as one mistake by Vas could have been enough for the two pursuers to catch her. However, Vas did not crack under the pressure and made no errors, even when Brand launched an all-or-nothing attempt in the last corners to take the win. That move backfired, allowing Vas to finish ahead of the closing Bäckstedt for the victory.