Superprestige Niel: Manon Bakker masters the mud to take the win

Manon Bakker took her first Superrestige series win on Wednesday, the Velosport Veluwe rider dominating the race, riding alone to take the victory at the Jaarmarktcross in Niel.

Bakker escaped on the second of the five laps of the muddy course, eking out a lead and holding it. She eventually crossed the line 14 seconds ahead of Italian champion Sara Casasola (Crelan-Corendon) in second, with Denise Betsema (De Ceuster Bouwkranen) third.

The race was notable for the abandon of World Champion Lucinda Brand, the Baloise-Poetsbureau Lions rider crashing out on the opening lap.

With Bakker well ahead early on in the race, the day became a huge battle for the podium places, with Betsema edging clear first before Casasola launched her bid to close down Bakker late in the piece.

Bakker has had an excellent start to the year, opening her 2026/27 by winning six North American races from eight starts before returning to Europe for her first season riding as a privateer, running her own team.

In conditions which suited her to the ground, Bakker rode an almost flawless race, building her advantage quickly and defending brilliantly, slipping over only once, in the thick mud.

The third round of the season-long Superprestige series, the annual Jaarmarktcross in Niel, was held over five laps of a varied course, with plenty of sand, a series of what look like moguls, short sharp climbs, run-ups and plenty of mud.

The first sand pit came early in the lap, and, with none of the riders able to ride it, the bunch was spread in the first few hundred metres. Amandine Fouquenet (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw) exited in first place, and with teammate Leonie Bentveld behind her, the French rider quickly had a gap.

After winning the European title in controversial circumstances, Brand set off in pursuit. However, on one of the many short climbs she hit the barrier and was forced to retire from the race with an injury to her ankle.

As Brand rode back to her team camper, Fouquenet was caught, with Aniek van Alphen (777TV) and Bakker briefly gapping the two Pauwels Sauzen riders.

However, as the second lap wore on, the in-form Bakker, fresh from a clutch of race victories in North America, rode clear, taking a lead of 18 seconds into lap three ahead of an expanded six-woman chasing group.

At the end of the third lap, she had lost only one second of that advantage, with Betsema and Casasola beginning to eat away at the lead.

On the final lap, Casasola dropped Betsema and began to pressure Bakker, closing in, almost to within touching distance, but the Dutch rider held her nerve and form to take the win.

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