Compton solos to Koksijde World Cup victory
American beats Cant and Harris to extend series lead
US champion Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) did what she had to do at the third World Cup round of the season amid the dunes of Koksijde, Belgium. In sunny weather conditions, Compton rode away from her rivals halfway through the first lap and never looked back. It’s the second World Cup win of the season for Compton and she extends her lead in the overall standings to thirty points over Nikki Harris (Young Telenet-Fidea), who placed third on Saturday afternoon.
Compton didn’t arrive at the North Sea coast with a perfect mindset and she admitted that she’d expected the opposition to be stronger. “I did. I got a gap and tried to maintain my rhythm. The gap kept growing, In the US, Katerina Nash is giving me a hard time. She’s making me work for it. Too bad she and Marianne Vos are not here. I like to chase,” Compton smiled. It was a strange sensation to take such an easy win considering that she didn’t feel comfortable on the bike. “It was running more than riding; it was heavy sand. I was lacking power. I felt clumsy out there. I was tired,” a jet-lagged Compton said.
Things looked different at the very beginning. As the race got underway there was no sign of Compton at the front. Dutch rider Sabine Stultiens (Rabo Women) took a great start and gapped European champion Helen Wyman (Kona). “I always have a good start but she went really hard. I wanted to go fast but not that fast,” Wyman said.
In the background Compton was in eighth place. She started moving up and most of the time, that worked out fine. When trying to pass Harris on a technical drop, however, things went a little awkwardly. “I rode into her but didn’t intend to do that,” Compton admitted. A little later, Compton overtook Wyman too, while Stultiens faded back.
Suddenly Compton, Wyman and Harris were leading the race. After the Herygers-dune Wyman was no longer able to hold the wheel. “Helen didn’t go as fast as she should’ve gone. Katie was gone,” Harris said. Both British women failed to come back while Compton increased her gap on the section in between the sand sections.
From there, Compton kept increasing her lead up to a massive one-minute advantage. Behind her, Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP), Stultiens and Sophie de Boer (Young Telenet-Fidea) joined the chase group. Halfway through the second lap, Cant accelerated. Wyman lost her wheel and Harris wasn’t able to make up for that lost ground. Wyman went from leading the chase to trying to chase back on. “I went too hard in the first two laps. I hoped to get a gap and then recover but that didn’t work out. You’ve got to try,” Wyman said.
The small gap between Cant and Harris remained relatively stable for the remainder of the race. “I was hoping she made a mistake but that didn’t happen. It’s not bad because now I’ve been on the podium in every World Cup round,” Harris said.
For her part, Cant wasn’t too worried about a comeback from Harris. “I had things under control. In the sand I tried to gain some seconds. Too bad I didn’t win but someone was clearly stronger today. I should be pleased because it’s my best-ever World Cup result,” Cant said.
The next World Cup round is held in Namur, Belgium on December 22 with Compton defending her comfortable lead. “I’ll try to hold it. I don’t want to deal with jet-lag again so we’re staying here. I’ll do the Scheldecross, Overijse, Mallorca, then the World Cup rounds and the Christmas races,” Compton said.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Katie Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective | 0:43:32 |
2 | Sanne Cant (Bel) Enertherm-BKCP | 0:01:08 |
3 | Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:22 |
4 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Liv/Giant | 0:01:55 |
5 | Sophie de Boer (Ned) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:56 |
6 | Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing | 0:02:31 |
7 | Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:02:42 |
8 | Martina Mikulaskova (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny | 0:03:17 |
9 | Loes Sels (Bel) DNCS-Pro 2012 Cycling Team | 0:03:25 |
10 | Ellen Van Loy (Bel) DNCS-Pro 2012 Cycling Team | 0:03:40 |
11 | Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 0:03:42 |
12 | Lucie Chainel (Fra) BH-SR Suntour-KMC | 0:03:54 |
13 | Gabriella Durrin (GBr) Rapha-Focus | 0:04:07 |
14 | Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams | 0:04:56 |
15 | Laura Verdonschot (Bel) VZW Lotto-Ladiescycling | 0:05:05 |
16 | Githa Michiels (Bel) Toka Print MTB Team | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Crystal Anthony (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 0:05:51 |
18 | Marlene Morel Petitgirard (Fra) VCC Morteau-Montbenoit | 0:05:55 |
19 | Christine Majerus (Lux) Sengers Ladies Cycling Team | 0:06:20 |
20 | Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) Up Cycling Team | 0:06:31 |
21 | Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Cyclelive Plus-Zannata | 0:06:58 |
22 | Lotte Eikelenboom (Ned) DRC De Mol | 0:07:09 |
23 | Nikola Noskova (Cze) KC Kooperativa SG Jablonec | 0:07:16 |
24 | Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Varbergs MTB-Cube | 0:07:24 |
25 | Katrien Thijs (Bel) Up Cycling Team | 0:07:31 |
26 | Jessica Lambracht (Ger) Stevens-1A-Crossteam | 0:07:42 |
27 | Evy Kuijpers (Ned) RTC Buitenlust | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Stephanie De Croock (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Bioracer | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Christine Vardaros (USA) Team Stevens | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Lisa Heckmann (Ger) VC-Racingteam | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Martina Kukulova (Cze) Stevens Bikes-Emilio Sport | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Hannah Payton (GBr) Team CTC | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Agnes Naumann (Ger) Saikls Crossteam | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Liv-Susanne Bachmann (Ger) Stevens-1A-Crossteam | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Mercedes Pacios Pujado (Spa) Blue Motors Ponts | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Katherine Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective | 170 | pts |
2 | Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet - Fidea | 140 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Sanne Cant (Bel) Enertherm - BKCP | 111 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet - Fidea | 103 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona | 90 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Dncs / Pro 2012 Cycling Team | 78 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Faren Kuota | 75 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Sophie De Boer (Ned) Young Telenet - Fidea | 66 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - KMC | 64 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabo Women Cycling Team | 60 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Gabriella Durrin (GBr) Rapha - Focus | 57 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Martina Mikulaskova (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny | 55 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams | 52 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) Vcc Morteau Montbenoit | 45 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Meredith Miller (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms - Specialized | 44 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld.Com | 42 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabo Women Cycling Team | 40 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Caroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh - Clement | 36 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Arley Kemmerer (USA) C3 - Twenty20 Cycling | 32 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Githa Michiels (Bel) Toka Print MTB Team | 28 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Loes Sels (Bel) Dncs / Pro 2012 Cycling Team | 24 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Nikola Noskova (Cze) KC Kooperativa Sg Jablonec | 24 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Jessica Lambracht (Ger) Stevens - 1A - Crossteam | 23 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Reza Hormes (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 20 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Laura Verdonschot (Bel) Vzw Lotto - Ladiescycling | 20 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Elena Valentini (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti | 17 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Nadja Heigl (Aut) Rlm Wien | 15 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Lotte Eikelenboom (Ned) Drc De Mol | 15 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Crystal Anthony (USA) Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies | 14 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Varbergs MTB / Cube | 14 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Tereza Medvedova (Svk) ZP Sport | 13 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) Up Cycling Team | 13 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Christine Majerus (Lux) Sengers Ladies Cycling Team | 12 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Lana Verberne (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 12 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti | 12 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Cyclelive Plus - Zannata | 10 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Karla Stepanova (Cze) Kona Cycling Point | 10 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Ayako Toyooka (Jpn) Panasonic Ladies | 9 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Rtc Buitenlust | 8 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Margriet Helena Kloppenburg (Den) Endura Lady Force | 7 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Katrien Thijs (Bel) Up Cycling Team | 6 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Lisa Heckmann (Ger) Vc - Racingteam | 6 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Rtc Buitenlust | 4 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Stephanie De Croock (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Bioracer | 3 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Janka Keseg Stevkova (Svk) CK Epic Dohnany | 3 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Esmee Oosterman (Ned) WRV De Peddelaars | 3 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Christine Vardaros (USA) Stevens Cycling Team | 2 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Zuzana Vojtasova (Svk) CK Banska Bystrica | 2 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Jana Czeczinkarova (Cze) Remerx - Merida Team Kolin | 1 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
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