Bas Luca de Vries narrowly missed out on the podium yesterday at the National Mountain Bike Marathon Championships in Valkenburg, Limburg. He was narrowly beaten by Lars van Ark in the sprint for the bronze medal. Tim Smeenge took the title ahead of Jelle Wietse Jongedijk. “I didn’t have a great day and had been struggling the entire race, but I still managed to stay in touch with the leading group. I couldn’t be the first to dive into the last corner, and I just couldn’t pass Lars in the sprint for the final podium spot. It’s a real shame, but what’s done is done is done. Now for a period of rest after a great but tough season,” said de Vries.
Teus Ruijter was back on the starting line after a long injury, but like Mariëlle Trouwborst, he had to chase solo after they both suffered a mechanical issue early in the race. With the help of teammate Gerben Mos, Ruijter fought his way back to eighth place, while Mos finished fourteenth. Trouwborst caught up with teammate Lola Bakker and finished fifth behind winner Sophie van Berswordt. Bakker and Rozanne Slik finished sixth and twelfth.