After a virtually two-year absence from cyclocross, Marianne Vos made her return on the UCI World Cup in Besançon on Sunday, the place she completed in fifth place on the troublesome icy course with a mediocre beginning place.
The eight-time world champion’s final cyclocross race was on the Benidorm World Cup in January 2023 earlier than her restoration from iliac artery surgical procedure in August, compelled her to overlook the next ‘cross season.
Earlier than the beginning in France, the Visma-Lease A Bike rider admitted that she had some apprehension about her first race again.
“Properly, thrilling and a few nerves as effectively in fact, at all times the primary race of the season,” Vos mentioned.
“I believe on this race everyone will combat for, for their very own place. I imply, it is exhausting, it is technical, I must try to, and transfer up just a little within the area, however I am going to see how far I can get.”
Relegated to a fifth-row begin, she knew that she would have a battle in entrance of her to get a end result, after which she confronted the additional difficult ice-over-mud course circumstances and brutally chilly climate, hovering across the freezing level.
For Vos, your entire lap was troublesome, and couldn’t pinpoint a particular part as probably the most troublesome.
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“There’s not a lot of a recuperation within the race, so for those who’re uphill and also you’re pushing or operating, and for those who’re downhill, you have to be very sharp after which focus as a result of each nook is actually slippery.”
Vos made her means by the pack, transferring as much as eleventh place after the primary lap whereas on the entrance, world champion Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease A Bike) soloed away to victory. Halfway by the five-lap race, Vos related with Zoe Backstedt (Canyon-Sram) in a battle for fourth place.
The 37-year outdated Dutchwoman and the 20-year outdated Brit had been then locked in a duel, every utilizing their particular expertise to take the entrance, and even skipping some bike adjustments to get the benefit whereas holding observe of riders developing behind them. However then, on the ultimate lap, Backstedt was capable of get a small hole, and maintain it to the end line for fourth place.
“I had nothing,” Vos mentioned of her last lap. “I used to be simply actually, actually drained and naturally, the coordination will get a bit messy for those who’re drained, so the final lap was possibly not the most effective one, however it was a great race additionally with Zoe Backstedt so it was good.”
“I am fairly glad. It was positively a tough race however I used to be glad to search out myself transferring up within the bunch, after which in fact once I was round 4 or 5, it bought actually, actually exhausting, after which I fought till the road. So I am pleased with the race in the present day.”
Vos mentioned that she would use this race to check her efficiency to see if she would race the World Championship in in Liévin, France later within the season.
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