For the third time in a row Karen Brouwer took the podium at the National Championships marathon this weekend. Riding under tough circumstances she arrived behind Annemiek van Vleuten and reigning champion Hielke Elferink after 114 kilometers at third place in Eijsden. After silver in 2016 this year again bronze like in 2015 for the KMC-Fruit to Go mountainbikster. 
‘This year I raced less races as I moved house but with Cape Pioneer and the National Championships ahead I did some serieus training again lately. That I was able to end on the podium under these severe citrcumstances really surprised me. Halfway I had a look at my Garmin and saw three hours had passed and I had a short mental dip but managed to keep my pace. Now it’s a matter of recovering and flying to South Africa where I will race together with Ramses Bekkenk as a mixed duo in Cape Pioneer!’, stated Brouwer.