Felipe Orts makes the podium at the CX World Cup in Dublin

The CX World Cup test held in Dublin gave us a very fast race, full of alternatives in which the championship leader, Eli Iserbyt, could not finish after making a mistake that was taken advantage of by Michael Vanthorenhout to achieve a coveted victory. In the women's race, Fem van Empel also could not repeat her victory, as she yielded to a strong Lucinda Brand who returned the favor.

Felipe Orts continues to shine in the CX World Cup race in Dublin

The capital of Ireland hosted the second round of the CX World Cup, which, like last week in Antwerp, allowed us to enjoy an exciting race held in a group due to a tremendously fast circuit, with hardly any technical sections except for some planks and a fairly compact sandpit as the most notable points.

Therefore, after a fairly clean start, the favorites positioned themselves easily among the top 10, except for Laurens Sweeck who started a bit further back and could not find his rhythm throughout the race, as well as Thibau Nys who had to settle for moving around the 9th position.

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This positioning would be decisive for the Belgian, as at the planks section, Czech rider Michael Boros, who was leading the race, fell, causing a small chaos at the front. Nys found himself in trouble as he fell quite spectacularly, leaving him far behind. The Belgian continued for several more laps in the race, as if training, before retiring at the beginning of the sixth of the 8 laps that the participants had to complete in the CX World Cup race in Dublin.

In the midst of the confusion, despite almost swallowing Boros' bike and being forced to dismount, Felipe Orts took advantage and took the lead, trying to break away with the help of Pim Ronhaar who supported his attack. However, with such a fast circuit, it was almost impossible to open a gap.

Others tried to break the race during the successive laps: Vanthorenhout in the second lap, who had to deal with a broken shoelace and had to make a quick change of footwear at the pit stop, always with a strong Pim Ronhaar closing all gaps.

However, with two laps to go, it was Iserbyt who set the pace with an incredible speed that, although not breaking the group of 6 riders at the front, put pressure in such a way that it seemed like no one would be able to overtake him.

And it would have been so under normal circumstances until, in the final stages of the last lap, on almost the only climb where the cyclists were forced to dismount, Eli Iserbyt slipped and, like a wolf waiting, Michael Vanthourenhout took the lead, followed by Toon Aerts who had a very consistent race and saw his opportunity.

Iserbyt recovered and managed to close the gap with Felipe Orts on his wheel, but by that time the victory was already decided for Vanthourenhout, who had opened up a significant lead that, with such little distance remaining to the finish line, was completely decisive and even allowed him to raise his arms in victory.

Much more exciting was the battle for the podium in a tight sprint between Iserbyt, Aerts, and Orts, leaving the current leader out of the podium. The classification now belongs to Michael Vanthourenhout.

In the women's race, the pattern seen in Antwerp was repeated, although this time the roles of dominant cyclist were exchanged, with Lucinda Brand returning the favor to Fem van Empel by winning in a clear manner, with Zoe Backstedt closing the podium.

CX World Cup Dublin Classification - Elite Men

1. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) 57'26''
2. Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-FSP) +01''
3. Felipe Orts (Ridley Racing Team) m.t.
4. Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +02''
5. Joran Wyseure (Crelan-Corendon) +09''
6. Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Trek Lions) +12''
7. Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions) +16''
8. Kevin Kuhn (Charles Liégeois Roastery CX) +40''
9. Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) +49''
10. Gerben Kuypers (Charle Liégeois Roastery CX) +58''

CX World Cup Dublin Classification - Elite Women

1. Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) 47'24''
2. Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) +24''
3. Zoe Backstedt +1'03''
4. Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) +1'13''
5. Blanka Kata Vas +1'17''
6. Annemarie Worst (Cyclocross Reds) +1'34''
7. Marie Schreiber +1'55''
8. Marion Norbert (Crelan-Corendon) +2'11''
9. Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +2'13''
10. Aniek van Alphen (Cyclocross Reds) +2'14''