Proving that her silver medal at the UCI World Cup round in Namur was no fluke, American cyclocross champion Clara Honsinger finished runner-up in spectacular weather conditions in Dendermond on Sunday.

Winter storm Bella drenched the venue with heavy rain, forcing organizers to change the course, but still rendering entire sections of the course undrivable. The cold and rainy conditions were perfect for the Oregon-born Honsinger.

"The weather made the race exciting," Honsinger told DirectVelo (open in new tab). I've never raced this hard in the mud. It was a real challenge."

After a slow start, the 23-year-old moved up from a pack of around 10th on the first lap to sixth by mid-pack, and then made the podium at the start of the final lap.

After catching World Champion Saylin Alvarado, the Cannondale Cyclocross World rider began chasing Brand, but ran out of time on the final lap, finishing in second place, 15 seconds behind.

"We were approaching the end of the race. I almost caught her. If I continue to perfect my technique over the next few years, I know I can do even better than I did today."

Honsinger moved to the Netherlands in November for a full season in Europe after a coronavirus outbreak forced the cancellation of all North American races.

"This is the first time I've spent three months in Europe. The conditions are perfect for training," Honsinger said. 'No jet lag, no travel. No jet lag, no travel. It's a lot more technical and the competition is a lot tougher."