Both Teus Ruijter and Mariëlle Trouwborst finished just off the podium at yesterday’s National Mountain Bike Marathon Championships in Valkenburg, Limburg. Ruijter was part of a six-man lead group until the halfway point, when the eventual winner, Tom Schellekens, pushed the pace hard on a steep climb, causing the group to break apart. Meanwhile, racing through the Belgian Voeren region, Trouwborst was unable to keep up with winner Sabriena Stultiens and runner-up Rosa van Doorn, forcing her to settle into her own rhythm.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t in good enough today to contend for the win, and I even lost my third-place position in the final part of te race. It’s quite a disappointment, especially since my shape has been very strong over the last few weeks,” said Ruijter.
Trouwborst: “Despite missing out on the podium, I’m happy with my fourth-place finish. I’ve had two bad falls on my knee in the last few weeks, so it was uncertain whether I’d even be able to start. During the course reconnaissance on Friday, my knee was still giving me a lot of trouble, but fortunately, it held up well during the race.”
Looking ahead, Trouwborst has a series of beach races on her schedule. In November, Ruijter will head to the South African sun to compete in the four-day Wines2Whales stage race.