Watch: Marian Voss rules and splits at Jingle Cross | cyclocross world cup (women) 2021

The steep mountain Crobet on the road was spitting in Marianne Voss’ mouth. The Dutch cannibals led from start to finish and delivered a jab on every pass.

Not that Vos didn’t have to work for it. In the first round she faced competition from Olympic mountain bike champion Jolanda Nef. Soon she fell away due to a physical malfunction.

Then young Puck Pieterse tried to track down Vos. Without avail.

In the end, it was Denis Betsima and Hungarian multi-talented Cata Blanca Vas who kept Voss talking the longest.

The 20-year-old Fez had to pull out with a flip-flop twice from the end. I took third place.

And Betsima went to sea on Krumpet’s last ascent. Foss also won the third part of the American cross tour after Waterloo.

Vos gives away the World Cup leader’s jersey, but she won’t show it at Zonhoven next weekend. After a grueling road season, embrace some rest.

Sunny was the best native in Iowa. The Belgian champion came in 14th place, two minutes from Voss.

“I soon found myself in the lead and alone at the cross,” Marianne Voss tells the story of her race.

“I didn’t let the rest come back consciously, but it was Denis Betsima and Cata Blanca Fez who were all hard-cycling. I knew we had to race for a long time, so I backed off.”

“Up until the last lap. I was able to make the difference.”

Vos will now pull the plug and take a short vacation break. It also had a very long road season before, with Paris-Roubaix closed.

I promised “I’ll recharge the batteries and then come back for the second part of the season, but enjoy the rest first.”