Zoe Claessens and Romain Mahieu triumph on Round 4 of BMX Racing World Cup in Papendal
The European champion from Switzerland claimed her second win in as many days, while France's Mahieu earned his first career World Cup race victory by taking the men's event.
Cycling BMX Racing
European champion Zoé Claessens of Switzerland claimed her second BMX Racing World Cup win in a row in Round 4 in Papendal, Netherlands, on Sunday (12 June 2022).
As happened in Round 3, in the women's final the Swiss rider managed to hold off home favourite and World Cup leader Laura Smulders, who was looking for her 26th success in the top-tier international circuit.
Tokyo 2020 gold medallist and reigning world champion Beth Shriever overcame Saturday's disappointing performance as she rounded out the podium.
"I'm so happy, next week I have an exam [at the University] and I didn't think I could win. [But] I won today, so I'm really, really happy," said 21-year-old Claessens, who until yesterday had never been on the top of the podium in a World Cup race.
Both double Olympic champion Mariana Pajon and Australia's Saya Sakakibara opted to sit out of the event due to injuries.
UCI BMX Racing World Cup round 4: Women's elite result
- Zoe Claessens (SUI) 34.593
- Laura Smulders (NED) 35.054
- Bethany Shriever (GBR) 35.462
- Daleny Vaughn (USA)
- Lauren Reynolds (AUS)
- Felicia Stancil (USA)
- Camille Maire (FRA) 37.081
- Payton Ridenour (USA) 37.722
Round 3 winner - and 2018 world champion - Sylvain Andre was the surprise absentee in the men's final after he was knocked out in the semis.
Fellow Frenchman Romain Mahieu took his maiden World Cup win as a senior. The Tokyo 2020 Olympian moved into the lead after a brilliant start and then held on it, crossing the finish line ahead of American Cameroon Wood.
Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Carlos Alberto Ramirez of Colombia, also known as 'The Magician', came in third.
"Man, I'm pumped, I feel I've been so close to winning one of these races in the past, and it finally happened," Mahieu said.
"It's so good to make it happen here in Papendal. When you think about the World Cup, you think about Papendal. It's an iconic place and I couldn't dream of a better place to get my first World Cup victory."
UCI BMX Racing World Cup round 4: Men's elite result
- Romain Mahieu (FRA) 34.321
- Cameron Wood (USA) 34.794
- Carlos Alberto Ramirez Yepes (COL) 35.083
- Stefan Heil (GER) 35.630
- Romain Racine (FRA) 35.853
- Romain Mayet (FRA) 36.024
- Kye Whyte (GBR) 36.442
- Diego Alejandro Arboleda Ospina (COL) 37.622