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Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup
22 December Namur (BEL)
Mud, rain and low temperatures took their toll on a number of riders in Namur including Eli Iserbyt, who was forced to abandon due to the cold. The Belgian loses his lead in the UCI World Cup standings to countryman Toon Aerts, who appeared to have got the better of UCI World Champion Mathieu van der Poel in Namur, but finally finished second, 55 seconds down on the Dutchman. The two men battled most of the race up front and exchanged the lead several times, with van der Poel suffering two punctures and Aerts two crashes.
After a conservative start in the Elite Women’s race, Dutch rider Lucinda Brand repeated last year’s success in Namur, soloing to victory ahead of two fellow Dutchwomen Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Annemarie Worst. Worst was the early leader but suffered a crash that allowed Brand and Alvarado to bridge up to her and overtake. Katerina Nash (CZE), fifth in Namur, remains in the overall UCI World Cup lead.