(L-R) Alise Willoughby, Laura Smulders of the Netherlands and Felicia Stancil celebrate at the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup on May 12, 2019 in Papendal, Netherlands.
Alise Willoughby, a two-time Olympian and 2016 silver medalist, scored two silver medals this weekend as the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup held its third and fourth rounds in Papendal, Netherlands.
Willoughby was the lone U.S. medalist in Saturday’s races, and she joined fellow American Felicia Stancil in completing a two-three finish in Sunday’s race, marking the first time this year that two Americans had podium finishes in the same race.
Willoughby, the 2017 world champion, battled with 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and host country favorite Laura Smulders all weekend. Smulders blasted past Willoughby halfway through Sunday’s final for the win. Willoughby held off Smulders for second place on Saturday.
Willoughby, whose maiden name is Alise Post, is ranked among the top 10 in the BMX Supercross points standings and has made the final in each of the last three rounds of world cup competition.
This was Stancil’s first podium of year. She also made the final Saturday, finishing sixth.
While Willoughby and Smulders battled for the lead late in Saturday’s race, Dutch rider Judy Baauw took the inside track and beat both of them to the finish line.
Jared Garcia of the U.S. finished fifth in the men’s final Sunday, and 2016 Olympian Corben Sharrah was seventh.
The next two rounds of the world cup tour are June 8 and 9 in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.
Paul D. Bowker has been writing about Olympic sports since 1996, when he was an assistant bureau chief in Atlanta. He is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
