Puck Pieterse returns to cyclocross motion this weekend on the fourth spherical of the UCI International Cup in Troyes, France. It’s only her 2d race of a now-compact ‘go season, because the 21-year-old paused racing for a month after charging via a continuing calendar of cyclocross, highway and mountain motorbike competitions.
It was once a scorching season throughout 3 disciplines for the Fenix-Deceuninck rider in 2023. Following a ‘go season the place she landed at the podium in all 19 of her cyclocross races, 4 of them International Cup victories plus a silver medal on the International Championships, she made her WorldTour highway debut at Strade Bianche and completed within the most sensible 5.
Then she switched to flat bars and took on elite riders at mountain motorbike XCO International Cups, successful 4 rounds, together with the Nové Mesto victory in Might that noticed her energy away at the ultimate lap from International Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. She gained quick monitor titles at Dutch nationals, Eu Championships, after which silver at Worlds the place she additionally earned XCO bronze.
A go back to cyclocross manner a go back to the much-anticipated contention with compatriot Fem van Empel (Jumbo-Visma), who has gained all seven races she’s began this season, together with two International Cup rounds and the Eu Championships.
Fenix-Deceuninck supervisor/directeur sportif Christoph Roodhoft anticipated her to leap again into the fray and now not skip a pedal stroke.
“I do not believe a lot could have modified in comparison to remaining yr,” Roodhoft instructed Wielerflits in a contemporary interview. “Puck has after all received numerous self belief via her MTB summer time. Fem van Empel was once additionally energetic in mountain cycling, however that was once much less a success than Puck’s marketing campaign. That will probably be other within the go, the 2 will probably be shut to one another once more.”
Sooner than taking time without work, Pieterse competed in just one ‘go match, the International Cup spherical in Waterloo the place she completed 2d at the back of Van Empel. The pair had been lightly matched at the muddy Wisconsin monitor for the primary lap, however Van Empel sailed away on an error-free experience and Pieterse, who’s typically sound technically, misplaced flooring within the rainy stipulations.
“Puck is the simpler, or if now not the most efficient, technically professional rider. If she will be able to mood her enthusiasm a little bit, I feel which may be a in particular nice asset in the longer term. However these days her enthusiasm once in a while nonetheless kills her,” Roodhoft admitted.
“Puck nonetheless tends to head very speedy at first. Or once in a while she tries one thing that may’t truly be attempted or in no way at that second. Anyway, she’s nonetheless younger and you continue to have that younger enthusiasm in you. That can unquestionably be resolved.”
At the mountain motorbike, Pieterse was once certainly technically sound and swept the full International Cup titles for elite ladies in cross-country and quick monitor disciplines. She raced 8 rounds in the summertime, completing with the 2 occasions in North The usa. Van Empel, then again, competed in simply 3 rounds.
“Puck was once if truth be told nonetheless in excellent form at the mountain motorbike on the finish of the season. A leisure duration was once a smart selection, she remains to be very younger. She rested but additionally stayed busy on her motorbike. It’s also vital to not leisure for too lengthy as a result of it is rather tough to renew cross-country racing,” Roodhoft mentioned.
The reigning Dutch elite ladies’s cyclocross nationwide champion prolonged her contract with Fenix-Deceuninck right through her summer time of mountain motorbike conquests, the group securing her abilities via 2027.
She referred to as it a ‘logical resolution’ because the group would permit her to pursue more than one disciplines, with Pieterse eyeing gold on the Paris Olympic Video games at the mountain motorbike in 2024.
“The beauty of this group and construction is that I will mix the other disciplines and feature the liberty to make a decision myself when to do which self-discipline. It’s a logical resolution,” Pieterse mentioned in June about her professional contract.