Daphny van den Brand pulled out another victory at the Dutch National Cyclo-cross Championships and beat reigning world champion Marianne Vos. Behind the two, Sanne van Passen finished third in a race that took place despite snow threatening a cancellation.
Van den Brand was once again strong when it came to Nationals, collecting her 11th cross title. "It was a nice tug of war between Marianne and me," Van den Brand said to De Telegraaf. Vos has been on the podium since 2003, when she was 15 years old.
Despite having won two World Championships in cyclocross, she has yet to win a National title and once again came up short. "I have to wait yet another year," Vos said after the race. Both riders traded the lead a few times, being equally strong and equally unlucky. "Daphny fell and I was gone, then I fell twice and she was alone ahead of the race."
The final lap they were together again, but Van den Brand went off the bike on the last hill, while Vos was unable to keep her momentum. Vos never could make up the decisive meters.
The weather also played a role. "I can deal with the cold, but you do notice that the blood circulation in the legs is declining." The pre-decisive attack that forced Vos to chase hard came halfway through the race. "She looked really beat when she caught back up," Van den Brand noticed. "I went full steam ahead and afterwards rode my own race."
Vos finished second in the Nationals for the fourth time. "I think I was never as close as today. You also have to have some luck."
Van den Brand agreed. "It was pretty slippery out there. Especially in the turns you needed some luck, but funnily enough I went down on a straight section."
The Worlds may be held in similar cold and snowy condition in Tabor, Czech Republic, in three week's time. "This was a good practice for that," Vos said.