Heusden-Zolder Podium history | 2022 edition | Course map
Weather at Zolder at 2:15 PM, local time: 10C (50F), partly cloudy, with the wind from the south at 19 km/hr (12 mph). There is just a 2% chance of rain.
Another win for Wout van Aert. Jumbo-Visma photo
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2019: A Year of New Faces is available in both Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
The race: Here's the report from winner Wout van Aert's Team Jumbo-Visma.
Wout van Aert has won at Heusden-Zolder for the third year in a row. On the fast track, the 29-year-old rider from Team Jumbo-Visma took a convincing victory in the sixth round of the Superprestige classification. Eli Iserbyt and Joris Nieuwenhuis completed the podium. It was the second victory in five races for the former world champion.
Van Aert, who became cyclo-cross world champion at Heusden-Zolder in 2016, quickly established himself in the lead group on the Terlaemen circuit. The Flemish rider accelerated with three laps to go. Only Eli Iserbyt could follow and the battle between the two continued until the final lap. In the last technical section, Van Aert used a blistering acceleration to cross the line solo.
"It was another beautiful stage. I am happy to have won here again”, a delighted Van Aert said. "I wanted to build up the race slowly today and didn't mind riding together for a bit longer. I've been building up my stamina over the last few cyclo-cross races, and I knew that the last fifteen minutes were often in my favour. So, I am happy that I was able to make a difference here.”
Next Saturday Van Aert will ride his last race of the year in Hulst. "It's a nice circuit, and I'm looking forward to racing there. It is an intense course with a lot of steep climbs. I'll try to recover for two days now so that I can take on Pidcock and Van der Poel on Saturday.”
Complete results:
1 | Wout Van Aert | Jumbo-Visma | 57min 5sec |
2 | Eli Iserbyt | Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal | @ 8sec |
3 | Joris Nieuwenhuis | Baloise Trek Lions | 0:34 |
4 | Niels Vandeputte | Alpecin-Deceuninck | 0:38 |
5 | Tibor Del Grosso | Alpecin-Deceuninck | 0:44 |
6 | Joran Wyseure | Crelan-Corendon | 0:46 |
7 | Ward Huybs | Baloise Trek Lions | 1:01 |
8 | Kevin Kuhn | Circus-Reuz-Technord | 1:05 |
9 | Thijs Aerts | Circus-Reuz-Technord | 1:06 |
10 | Aaron Dockx | Crelan-Corendon | s.t. |
11 | Quinten Hermans | Alpecin-Deceuninck | s.t. |
12 | Anton Ferdinande | Deschacht-Hens-Maes | 1:07 |
13 | Lander Loockx | TBT-Unibet | 1:31 |
14 | Clément Venturini | Ag2r-La mondiale | 1:38 |
15 | Arne Baers | Circus-Reuz-Technord | 1:42 |
16 | Ryan Kamp | Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal | 1:48 |
17 | Seppe Van Den Boer | Baloise Trek Lions | 2:44 |
18 | Yordi Corsus | Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal | 2:45 |
19 | Tom Meeusen | Crelan-Corendon | 2:57 |
20 | Corné Van Kessel | Deschacht-Hens-Maes | 3:20 |
21 | Bailey Groenendaal | WV Schijndel | s.t. |
22 | Zdenek Stybar | Jayco-AlUla | 3:22 |
23 | Arne Vrachten | ACROG-Tormans | 3:50 |
24 | Kay De Bruyckere | Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal | 3:52 |
25 | Clément Horny | BH-Wallonie | 4:05 |
26 | Dario Lillo | Deschacht-Hens-Maes | 4:16 |
27 | Jakub Riman | TJ AS ML. Boleslav | 4:27 |
28 | Florian Vermeersch | Lotto Destny | 4:44 |
29 | Klaas Groenen | Cycloteam.NL | 4:46 |
30 | Luke Wiedmann | Thomas Maxon | s.t. |
31 | Robbe Marchand | Deschacht-Hens-Maes | s.t. |
32 | Vaclav Jezek | Brilon Racing Team | 4:57 |
33 | Maximilian Kerl | Auto Skoda Mlada Boleslav | 5:07 |
34 | Florian Hamm | RSV Garching | 5:12 |
35 | Marcis Shelton | EuroCrossAcademy | 5:13 |
36 | Joris Delbove | S1NEO Graal Bjorka | 5:18 |
37 | Lorenzo Marasco | Sebmotobikes Cx Team | s.t. |
38 | Ferre Geeraerts | Basso Team Flander | 5:20 |
39 | Matéo Jot | Ardennes Cross Team Gecibat | 5:24 |
40 | Stan Van Grieken | ACROG-Tormans | 5:42 |
41 | Matej Stransky | Brilon Racing Team | 5:53 |
42 | Raul Mira Bonastre | Grupeta La Safor | 5:56 |
43 | Koen Van Dijke | TWT Het Snelle | 6:05 |
44 | Simon Wyllie | Team Spectra Cannondale-Das | 6:12 |
45 | Miles Gevaert | Tomabel-Inofec | 6:14 |
46 | Eliote Ponchon | Albi Velo Sport Leroy Merlin | 6:17 |
47 | Michael Gassner | RSV Moosberg | 6:35 |
48 | Luke Verburg | 2Moso | 6:57 |
49 | Dean Harvey | Trinity Racig | 7:16 |
50 | Jenno Berckmoes | Flanders-Baloise | 7:46 |
51 | Cody Scott | Competitive Edge Racing | @ 1 Lap |
52 | Rémon Delnoije | TWC De Kempen | 1 lap |
53 | Floris Van Tricht | EFC-L&L-Van Mossel | 1 lap |
54 | Jakub Kuba | TJ Auto Skoda | 1 lap |
55 | Quentin Navarro | Charvieu Chavagneaux Isere | 1 lap |
56 | Simon Vanicek | EZ Cyklo Team Tabor | 2 laps |
57 | Szymon Pomian | Polish Cycliong Federation | 2 laps |
58 | Antoine Tran Van | Albi Velo Sport Leroy Merlin | 2 laps |
59 | Ville Merlov | Astorps CK | 2 laps |
60 | Federico Ceolin | Bibione Cycling Team | 2 laps |
61 | Dylan Zakrajsek | USA Cycling Mudfund | 2 laps |
62 | Florian Anderle | RSV Stadtilm | 2 laps |
63 | David Risberg | Evolite Cycling Club | 2 laps |
64 | Casey Hildebrandt | Broken Spoke | 3 laps |
65 | Matthieu Lavignac | Albi Velo Sport Leroy Merlin | 3 laps |
66 | Travis Harkness | Scott Bright motor Group | 3 laps |
67 | Flynn Gregory | Wheelbase Cabtech | 3 laps |
68 | Philipp Heigl | SU Bikestor.cc | 3 laps |
69 | Ethan Delgrosso | Competitive Edge Racing | 3 laps |
70 | Darnell Moore | Team Caldwell Cycles | 3 laps |
71 | Carlos Gamez Ferrer | CDE Bikery | 4 laps |
72 | Tijay Heinen | UC Dippach | 4 laps |
73 | Fabian Merino | Broad Street Breakaway | 4 laps |
74 | Dries Bruynseels | Bruvo Dukla Bratislava | 4 laps |
75 | Aiden Mapel | Competitive Edge Racing | 4 laps |
76 | Nicholas Lando | Competitive Edge Racing | 5 laps |
77 | Paul Oldham | Hope Facotry Racing | 6 laps |
Fem van Empel beats Ceylin Alvarado for the win. Telenet photo
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 2: 1976 - 2018 is available in print, Kindle eBook & Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
The race: Here's the report from winner Fem van Empel's Team Jumbo-Visma.
Fem van Empel has won the sixth round of the Superprestige championship. The 21-year-old rider of Jumbo-Visma proved too strong for the competition at Heusden-Zolder. It is Van Empel's twelfth victory in thirteen races.
The former F1 circuit at Heusden-Zolder provided a fast track for the riders on Wednesday afternoon. Van Empel made an energetic start, and the reigning European and world champion opened up a gap on Alvarado. On the third lap, the 21-year-old tried to break away, but a crash forced her to chase. Van Empel caught up and fought for the win right to the line. In a neck-and-neck race, she proved the strongest.
The young yellow and black rider crashed on a descent halfway through the race. "There are a lot of small potholes on the descent. My front wheel went into one of them, and I crashed”, Van Empel said. "I didn't suffer too much damage and was able to continue. Luckily, I had a target before me, but I still had to get back into the rhythm.”
The final lap saw a thrilling duel between Van Empel and Alvarado. It was decided in a sprint. "I tried to force Alvarado into first position before we hit the asphalt. It was a risk to make it a sprint because Alvarado is also fast. Fortunately, it worked out well. I wanted to do well today, and I think Alvarado and I had a great battle.”
Complete results:
1 | Fem van Empel | Jumbo-Visma | 49min 4sec |
2 | Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado | Alpecin-Deceuninck | 0:01 |
3 | Inge Van Der Heijden | Crelan-Corendon | 0:16 |
4 | Sanne Cant | Crelan-Corendon | 0:40 |
5 | Kristyna Zemanová | Brilon Racing Team | 0:58 |
6 | Annemarie Worst | Cyclocross Reds | 1:10 |
7 | Marie Schreiber | SD Worx | 2:05 |
8 | Aniek Van Alphen | Cyclocross Reds | 2:26 |
9 | Lauren Molengraaf | Circus-Reuz-Technord | 2:35 |
10 | Marion Norbert Riberolle | Crelan-Corendon | 3:03 |
11 | Judith Krahl | Heizomat Radteam-Kloster Kitchen | 3:08 |
12 | Julie Brouwers | Circus-Reuz-Technord | 3:31 |
13 | Francesca Baroni | Hubo-Remotive | 3:46 |
14 | Fleur Moors | Baloise Trek Lions | 4:14 |
15 | Marthe Truyen | Crelan Fristads | 4:31 |
16 | Lucia Gonzalez Blanco | Nesta-MMR | 4:43 |
17 | Sofia Rodriguez Revert | Nesta-MMR | 4:54 |
18 | Vida Lopez De San Roman | USA | 5:00 |
19 | Barbora Jerabkova | Brilon Racing Team | 5:10 |
20 | Rebecca Gariboldi | Team Cingolani | 5:16 |
21 | Loes Sels | Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes | 5:28 |
22 | Iris Offerein | Deschacht-Hens-Maes | 5:40 |
23 | Alyssa White | USA | 5:47 |
24 | Shanyl De Schoesitter | Starbikes-Bert Containers | 5:49 |
25 | Marlene Petitgirard | VC Omans | 5:50 |
26 | Puck Langenbarg | WV Schundel | 6:01 |
27 | Asia Zontone | a.s.d. JAM's | s.t. |
28 | Yara Kastelijn | Crelan Fristads | 6:09 |
29 | Elisabeth Brandau | Germany | 6:10 |
30 | Adèle Hurteloup | Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes | 6:21 |
31 | Liv Wenzel | Sebmotobikes | s.t. |
32 | Antonina Bialek | Polish Cycling Federation | 6:30 |
33 | Katerina Hladiková | Brilon Racing Team | 6:31 |
34 | Sara Sonnemans | ZZPR.NL | 6:34 |
35 | Giada Borghesi | Lapierre Trentino | 6:39 |
36 | Maité Barthels | Hess Cycling | 6:49 |
37 | Lauren Zoerner | USA Mudfund | 6:51 |
38 | Febe De Smedt | Acrog-Tormans | 6:52 |
39 | Nadja Heigl | KTM Alchemist-Brenta Brakes | s.t. |
40 | Lidia Cusack | USA | 7:03 |
41 | Lorena Patino Villanueva | Spain | 7:15 |
42 | Xan Crees | Spectra Cannondale-DAS | 7:55 |
43 | Irene Trabazo Bragado | C.C. Marin-Ottoman | @ 1 lap |
44 | Tereza Vanicková | Brilon Racing Team | 1 lap |
45 | Lise Klaes | AS Treport | 1 lap |
46 | Zina Barhoumi | Hubo-Remotive | 1 lap |
47 | Mae Cabaca | CX Team Deschutes | 1 lap |
48 | Alyssa Sarkisov | USA | 1 lap |
49 | Malwina Mul | KLKS Azalia | 1 lap |
50 | Jorja Bond | EuroCrossAcademy | 1 lap |
51 | Isla Short | Short Factory Racing | 1 lap |
52 | Wendy Bunea | Romania | 1 lap |
53 | Anna Panusová | Jaroslav Kulhavy | 2 laps |
54 | Mia Aseltine | Competitive Edge Racing | 2 laps |
55 | Rachel Lev-Tov | Boulder Junior | 2 laps |
56 | Alice Papo | ASD DP66 | 2 laps |
57 | Anna Vanderaerden | WAC Team VZW | 2 laps |
58 | Xenna De Bruyckere | Acrog-Tormans | 2 laps |
59 | Ishbel Strathdee | Great Britain | 2 laps |
60 | Madeline Moorhouse Smith | Shibden | 2 laps |
61 | Alice Colling | EVO Devo | 2 laps |
62 | Aroa Otero Taboas | GD Supermercados Froiz | 2 laps |
63 | Kaija Budde | RV Adler | 2 laps |
64 | Lies'L Schevenels | De Ceuster-Bonache | 2 laps |
65 | Tereza Tvaruzková | Expres-TZ | 2 laps |
66 | Meg De Bruyne | Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes | 2 laps |
67 | Lyllie Sonnemann | USA | 2 laps |
68 | Nina Berton | CT Aterdaul | 2 laps |
69 | Marta Estevez Alonso | XSM CC | 2 laps |
70 | Cahill Rylie | Boulder Junior Cycling | 2 laps |
71 | Finley Aspholm | EuroCrossAcademy | 2 laps |
72 | Katelyn Walcroft | Cycling Canada | 2 laps |
73 | Kacey Eyeington | Derwentside CC | 2 laps |
74 | Siobhan Kelly | Black Dog Racing | 3 laps |
75 | Ellen Davis | EuroCrossAcademy | 3 laps |
76 | Maria Larkin | Donkey Label Racing | 3 laps |
77 | Layla Barthels | Hess Cycling Team | 3 laps |
78 | Rozalia Dutczak | LKS Trasa | 3 laps |
79 | Madeline Fisher | US Olympic Development | 3 laps |
80 | Aine Doherty | VC Glendale | 3 laps |
81 | Bridget Wilson | EuroCrossAcademy | 3 laps |
82 | Penelope Aguillon | US Vern Cyclisme | 3 laps |
83 | Lucie Adam | Avesnois-Anaick | 3 laps |
84 | Larissa Rossner | VC Eschenbach | 3 laps |
85 | Florence Lissaman | Newark Castle |
2023 Heusden-Zolder Cross map: