Series winners favourites for upcoming World Championships in Fayetteville
Lucinda Brand wins UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup series(Image credit: Getty Images)
Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) and Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) sealed the overall series titles in the women's and men's UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup series, respectively, following the final round in Hoogerheide on Sunday.
Brand, who finished second to compatriot Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) in Hoogerheide, had already accumulated enough points to win the series at the penultimate round in Flamanville, France.
During the 15-race series, Brand won six rounds in Fayetteville, Tabor, Besançon, Namur, Dendermonde and Hulst, with six other podium finishes in the World Cup.
Brand accumulated a total of 432 points to win the series by 71 points ahead of runner-up Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) and 82 points over third placed Puck Pieterse (Apecin-Fenix).
Iserbyt won seven rounds of the World Cup series that includes Wateroo, Iowa City, Overijse, Koksijde, Besançon, Flamanville and Hoogerheide. He also finished on the podium in five other rounds of the series.
Iserbyt won with a total of 485 points to beat runner-up Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) by 128 points and third placed Toon Aerts (Baloise Trek Lions) 137 points.
Iserbyt and Brand are among the favourites to win a the world titles at the UCI Cyclo-cross Championships held in Fayetteville, Arkansas from January 28-31.
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Brand will lead an eight-rider Dutch women's team that includes Denise Betsema, Annemarie Worst, Marianne Vos, Yara Kastelijn, Inge van der Heijden, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Manon Bakker.
Iserbyt will lead an eight-rider Belgian men's team that also includes Quinten Hermans, Toon Aerts, Michael Vanthourenhout, Jens Adams, Vincent Baestaens, Daan Soete, and Laurens Sweeck.
"We saw in the European Championships that going into a race with five different riders who can win is not the best tactics, so Lars [van der Haar] and [Tom] Pidcock are good, and we have a chance with our Belgian squad but we have to aim for one or two riders," Iserbyt said.
Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) wins the UCI Cyclp-cross World cup (Image credit: Getty Images)
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Elite Women
Pos.
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Lucinda Brand (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions
432
2
Denise Betsema (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal
361
3
Puck Pieterse (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix
350
4
Fem van Empel (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
315
5
Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
254
6
Shirin Van Anrooij (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions
236
7
Inge van der Heijden (Ned) 777
221
8
Kata Blanka Vas (Hun) SD Worx
211
9
Helen Clauzel (Fra) AS Bike Cross Team
202
10
Annemarie Worst (Ned) 777
192
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Elite Men
Pos.
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal
485
2
Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal
357
3
Toon Aerts (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions
348
4
Quinten Hermans (Bel) Tormans-Circus Cyclo Cross
299
5
Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions
281
6
Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal
223
7
Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Tormans Cyclo Cross Team
220
8
Toon Vandebosch (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal
219
9
Daan Soete (Bel) CX Team Deschacht-Group Hens-Maes Containers
212
10
Vincent Baestaens (Bel) CX Team Deschacht-Group Hens-Maes Containers
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
