Tom Pidcock loses in Hoogerheide the last duel with Eli Iserbyt, who confirms his candidacy for the World Championship

We all expected a great battle in this last race, and the two protagonists have responded to perfection, giving us a great show. Tom Pidcock lost in the CX World Cup in Hoogerheide a thrilling duel until the last pedal strokes against Eli Iserbyt, in what is supposed to be a preview of what we will experience at the World Cyclocross Championships in Fayetteville (USA) next week. But, despite the defeat, what has been clear is that the Ineos-Grenadiers rider will go for it and that, although he may not be at his best, he has plenty of class to fight for the gold.

Pidcock had it in his hand

The British rider started the race in a conservative manner, while Dutchman Lars Van der Haar (who was racing at home and had the 'responsibility' of filling in for Mathieu Van der Poel's absence) and Quentin Hermans got away in the first few laps. However, he kept coming back until, at the end of the third lap, he had already caught them. At that point, a crash by Van der Haar left him alone in the lead, with Iserbyt and Michael Vanthourenhout leading the chase behind.

He was 20 seconds ahead of them, but this time it was Iserbyt who gradually closed the gap until, on the seventh lap, he caught up with them. Van der Haar and Vanthourenhout followed soon after.

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Finally, the overall World Cup winner (he was already the winner before today's race started) launched an attack on the last lap and opened a small gap that Pidcock tried to close by all means. It was no more than three seconds, so the excitement went all the way to the final straight, but Iserbyt, with a bombproof consistency, without making a single mistake, managed to win at the finish line.

Moreover, Lars Van der Haar took second place from Pidcock, who let himself go in the last metres and finished third. In any case, it should be remembered that this World Cup in Hoogerheide (also called the Adrie Van der Poel Grand Prix) was supposed to serve as a prelude to the World Championships next Sunday.

And the very short time differences between the first four riders confirm what we already knew: that, without the presence of Wout Van Aert and the current champion, Mathieu Van der Poel, this is one of the most open World Championships in recent years. Pidcock may not have been at the level of his best days, in Hulst or Rucphen, but he has shown that he can perfectly fight for the triple crown, his main goal this year. Of course, Eli Iserbyt will not make it easy for him. And even people like Van der Haar, Vanthourenhout, Toon Aerts or Quentin Hermans are there, not too far from the leading duo, sharpening their knives in case both fail.

Marianne Vos also warns

In the women's race, held just before the men's, we were also expecting a duel between Lucinda Brand and Marianne Vos to clarify who will be the main favourite for the World Championship in Fayetteville. And it didn't disappoint: it was Vos who won with an impressive attack on the hardest part of the course, already on the last lap.

However, the party of the two veterans was joined by the young Puck Pieterse, who even managed to put them on the ropes at some point, and who tried to challenge Brand for second place in the sprint, without managing to do so. What she was able to do was to put pressure on her two expected rivals in the under-23 World Championship next week: Fem Van Empel and the Hungarian Kata Blanka Vas, who came in just behind. Denise Betsema, who finished eighth, confirmed that she is not in great form.

2022 Hoogerheide CX World Cup Results - Men's 

1. ISERBYT Eli (PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL) 1:00:18
2. VAN DER HAAR Lars (BALOISE TREK LIONS) +2
3. PIDCOCK Thomas (INEOS GRENADIERS) +3
4. VANTHOURENHOUT Michael (PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL) +5
5. AERTS Toon (BALOISE TREK LIONS) +54
6. HENDRIKX Meers (IKO-CRELAN) +1:03
7. HERMANS Quentin (TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM) +1:07
8. MEEUSEN Tom (CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES) +1:08
9. VANDEBOSCH Toon (PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL) +1:10
10. SWEECK Laurens (PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL) +1:20

2022 Hoogerheide CX World Cup Results - Women's

1. VOS Marianne (TEAM JUMBO VISMA) 52:14
2. BRANDLucinda (BALOISE TREK LIONS) +10
3. PIETERSEPuck (ALPECIN-FENIX) +11
4. VAN EMPELFem (PAUWELS SAUZEN-BINGOAL) +18
5. VAS Kata Blanka (TEAM SD WORX) +21
6. VANANROOIJ Shirin (BALOISE TREK LIONS) +55
7. PERSICO Silvia (VALCAR-TRAVEL & SERVICE) +1:27
8. BETSEMA Denise(PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL) +1:27
9. LECHNER Eva +2:00
10. ALVARADO Ceylin del Carmen (ALPECIN-FENIX) +2:32