Last year, the Koppenberg was a real treat for Annemarie Worst. The Dutch had even skipped the cross in Overijse to start fresh in Oudenaarde. She was the first to climb the Koppenberg, accompanied by Yara Kastelijn.
But on the greasy stretches, mud devil Denise Betsema asserted herself. She punished every mistake of her compatriots mercilessly. The winner of Zonhoven and Ruddervoorde had her mind set on a cobblestone.
Surprisingly, she did not have to fear the Dutch competition, but the American Clara Honsinger (though she fell in the first round) and the Hungarian Kata Blanka Vas, the winner in Overijse.
Especially on the Koppenberg, Honsinger was unapproachable. On the tough climb, which was smeared with a layer of mud, she always put a few seconds on Betsema. At the start of the final lap she had a gap of 9 seconds.
Honsinger refused to let Betsema come any closer and finished well on the final climb. Betsema and Vas had to settle for the podium places, world champion Brand and European champion Alvarado are already getting a heavy bill in the X2O trophy.
“I counted down the laps”, Clara Honsinger smiled after her handsome cross on the Koppenberg.
“I descended well and the climb suited me well. This is nice, but this season I am fully aiming for the World Cup in my own country.”
“It was very tough”, Denise Betsema added. “I don’t think I can compare this to any other cross.”
“The victory was possible and I would have liked to have won for my deceased former teammate Jolien Verschueren, but Clara was really stronger. She climbed faster.”
