Anyone searching for 'The Big Three' in a cyclocross encyclopedia will either find Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, and Tom Pidcock, or Fem van Empel, Shirin van Anrooij, and Puck Pieterse. The latter also has an older sister, who is also active as a cyclist. However, for Isa Pieterse, it is not a concrete and realistic goal to work her way up to such an illustrious list. Moreover, there's a very good chance that we'll see the 23-year-old lady from Amersfoort working in the legal field very soon, as she recently told IDLProCycling.com.
Puck was born on May 13, 2002, and Isa on January 27, 2000. This makes the lady of the Dutch team 'Rennersclub Jan van Arkel' about two and a half years older than the superstar from Fenix-Deceuninck. After the Cyclo-cross Rucphen, we caught up with the older of the two sisters at her car, which, for her convenience - and that of her two mechanics - had been transformed into the 'service camper'. "On the long straight sections, I often notice that I can deliver a lot of power. Then, when something like a sloping side comes up, I usually lose some time," she says in her initial analysis of the race in North Brabant, about ten minutes after she finished eighteenth.
"I've now competed in six cyclo-cross races, and that's been the case every time. So, the faster courses suit me best because I can really use my power there," she continues with a broader season evaluation. "The decent results I've mostly achieved in national cyclo-cross races. Therefore, I try to participate mainly in those kinds of races. They are usually organized once a week. But when Puck rides an international cyclo-cross, I enjoy going along with her. Sometimes to support her, sometimes to compete myself. For instance, I also raced in Boom. Puck finished second there, and I was twenty-sixth."
Isa lives in a dorm in Utrecht, while Puck still lives at home in Amersfoort. Even though the two may no longer live in the same house, they are as close as two peas in a pod. But whereas Puck has been attacking the world's top in various cycling disciplines for years, Isa has only been cycling seriously for a relatively short time. "In principle, I've been cycling for quite a long time. I've even been racing for about ten years, although it was generally more like an extra activity and just for fun. For instance, I didn't have real training schedules or anything like that. It was more about cycling when I felt like it, and then I would see how it went. But when Puck suddenly started to perform really well last year, it also started to itch a bit for me. Maybe I should try it too, I thought then. That was definitely an extra motivation."
Going on training rides with Puck Pieterse - who is very active on YouTube - really boosts motivation and riding skills, something Isa, can vouch for as her sister. "We don't get to train together too often since we live in different places, but when our schedules align, we make the most of it. Puck's always there to lend a hand in any way she can. She believes I need to be bolder, to approach races with a fresh mindset. And she's an ace in technical skills. Training with her in the woods, following her lead, I find myself speeding up way more than when I'm riding solo. Adding a sprinkle of bravery to the mix really changes the game."
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So, it's actually only been a year since 'the older sister of' has been focusing more on racing. "Puck has been doing better and better in recent seasons. At some point, I naturally got a bit involved too," she emphasizes again. "When it starts going better for yourself and you notice that you can sometimes compete for the podium in national races, you get the idea: if I now follow a training schedule, maybe there's even more potential, and I can compete for prizes. That thought only makes cycling even more beautiful."
And so it happened: Isa also started doing better, which ultimately resulted in impressive finishes. Therefore, she is gradually sharpening her personal goals. "Last year I noticed that it was going quite well, as I made the podium several times. That's why I thought it would be a good idea to set more ambitious goals this year, like winning a national cross. And that has already been achieved! For the rest, I just hope to compete for the podium as often as possible," she says enthusiastically.
So, where can we expect to see Isa in action in the coming weeks? "Before the National Cyclo-cross Championships, there are four races that I really want to participate in. The National Championships and certainly the NSK (Dutch Student Championships, ed.) are important races for me," she explains her priority list. "And after that, the cyclo-cross season is pretty much over for me," she adds with a laugh.
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It's well known that younger sister Puck also has aspirations in road cycling and mountain biking. What about Isa? "I ride for Rennersclub Jan van Arkel and they mostly race on the road. I really enjoy that, especially when it comes to international races. I prefer courses with climbs, like the one at the National Championships on the VAM-berg. I perform best on such circuits. When it gets tactical or echelons come into play, I'm someone who still gets pushed back too easily. Actually, I need to develop a bit more nerve, so I can claim my spot in the peloton every once in a while. Just like Puck always tells me."
Regarding her future as a cyclist, Isa can't say much, mainly due to her recently completed law degree at the University of Utrecht. "I don't know exactly where I want to go as a cyclist, as I've just finished my studies and I am currently working as an intern four days a week. There's a good chance I'll be looking for a job in the legal sector, so it's hard to say whether and how cycling will fit into that. However, I will definitely try to combine them. It worked out fine with my internship. It was four days of interning and then training in the evenings."
"If it can go the same way next year, that would be great," she continues about the (near) future. "After all, I still have some goals in cycling. However, it's not that I'm going to temporarily sideline my work in the legal field. I have to be realistic. To belong to the absolute top and ride alongside Puck, Fem, and Shirin, you need an incredible amount of talent. No matter how hard I train, I will never reach that level. That's an important aspect to consider in the decision-making process. If I invest more time in cycling, I'm undoubtedly much better. But do I necessarily want that?" she wonders aloud. Time will tell...