Vos prevails in penultimate World Cup round
Van den Brand, Compton complete podium
In a tumultuous race that included many crashes it was world champion Marianne Vos (Stichting Rabo Women) who prevailed and captured her third World Cup win in a row. Daphny van den Brand (AA Drink-Leontien.nl) remains overall World Cup leader thanks to her second place in Liévin, France, while US champion Katie Compton (Rabobank-Giant Off-road Team) rounded out the podium in third place.
The Dutch duo went the distance right from the first lap. A first chase group, including British champion Helen Wyman (Kona Factory Team), Belgian champion Sanne Cant (Boxx-Veldritacademie), Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) and Compton, trailed the leaders by twenty seconds after the first lap on the fast course.
During the second lap the frozen top layer of the course in Liévin started to melt with several crashes as a result. During the second lap Compton went down and one lap later both Vos and Van den Brand crashed.
After the national championships last week – which Vos won for the second time in a row - the Dutch star hinted that the races were becoming somewhat boring but that wasn't the case on Sunday afternoon. "If you crash hard like I did on the third lap then it's not a boring race," Vos laughed. Vos was leading the race together with Van den Brand when she slid away on the muddy upper layer of the fast frozen course in Liévin.
World Cup leader Van den Brand crashed too but she did what she had to do to hold on to her overall lead by finishing as runner-up in chilly Liévin, high up in the north of France. "I took Daphny down with me but she was able to continue while I had mechanical issues. And I was in a lot of pain, too. I struggled to get back in the rhythm for half a lap, then it was ok," Vos said.
The expected clash between Vos and Compton didn't happen. Compton ran into all sorts of problems during the first laps but she eventually bounced back to finish third at more than a minute from winner Vos. "I can't blame it on the bike. I went fast but backwards not forwards. I went too fast in the first lap, slid out and then was in the wrong gear. Later I crashed again, I figured twice was better than once. It was really hard today but I'm happy to finish third considering the race I had," Compton said.
Behind the top three it was local rider Caroline Mani (France) who rode a terrific race. "Fourth is the first off the podium but for me it's a great result. At first I was afraid on this course and didn't dare to push. Then when Katie bridged up I realized she was the one to follow. I must've lacked lucidity and made a mistake," Mani said.
Mani won the sprint for fourth place from Wyman who surprised many including herself in Liévin. "I've been ill since the World Cup in Zolder. I rode the national championships because I figured I at least had to defend the title but I won. I feel so fresh now but I still have a cough. I'm quite happy with that although I finish fifth again," Wyman said.
Behind Wyman was Sophie de Boer (Telenet-Fidea) who claimed sixth place ahead of her teammate Nikki Harris. The British rider was pleased with her performance. "I crashed hard on my chest but still finished seventh. Maybe some rest made me good. This course is so hard. It's nice for the confidence," Harris said.
In front of these two riders it was actually Nash who seemed to have sixth place locked up but a last lap mechanical caused her to tumble down to fifteenth place on the line. "I had a decent start and then some issues," Nash said. She didn't exaggerate as she ran into all sorts of trouble with her bikes, including a ripped off rear derailleur and a snapped chain. "I probably had more issues than in a whole year. In the end I was riding a kick-bike. It was a tough day. I'll have to do better next week," Nash said.
Right behind Nash it was young Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) who finished sixteenth. The US women's U23 champion and elite silver medalist was content with her race. "I'm placing consistently in the top-20 at the World Cup. Last year I would've been top-30 here. It's a very tough course," Antonneau said.
1 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Women's Team | 0:39:30 |
2 | Daphny van den Brand (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl | 0:00:48 |
3 | Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team | 0:01:14 |
4 | Caroline Mani (Fra) CC Etupes | 0:01:19 |
5 | Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing | 0:01:20 |
6 | Sophie de Boer (Ned) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:50 |
7 | Nikki Harris (GBr) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:51 |
8 | Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) | 0:02:21 |
9 | Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:02:35 |
10 | Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Focus MIG Team | 0:02:41 |
11 | Sanne Cant (Bel) BOXX Veldritacademie | 0:02:49 |
12 | Arenda Grimberg (Ned) | 0:02:50 |
13 | Martina Mikulaskova (Cze) Simunek Cycling Project | 0:02:52 |
14 | Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Team Focus Bikes-Velo Club Rain | 0:02:58 |
15 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 0:03:03 |
16 | Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld | 0:03:30 |
17 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Brainwash | 0:03:58 |
18 | Christine Majerus (Lux) | 0:04:01 |
19 | Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Cycling Team Vermeeren | 0:04:02 |
20 | Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams | 0:04:44 |
21 | Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Rapha Focus | 0:04:45 |
22 | Hilde Quintens (Bel) Van Goethem - Prorace Cycling Team | 0:05:02 |
23 | Linda van Rijen (Ned) Skil-Koga | 0:05:16 |
24 | Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 0:05:27 |
25 | Stéphanie Vaxillaire-Denuit (Fra) CR Bourgogne | 0:05:37 |
26 | Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco | 0:05:55 |
27 | Cynthia Huygens (Fra) CC Cambresien | 0:06:06 |
28 | Katrien Thijs (Bel) K. Edegem Bicycle Club - BMX R | 0:06:37 |
29 | Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi) Cycles Velo Passion | 0:07:26 |
30 | Kim Van De Steene (Bel) Afdeling Oost-Vlaanderen WBV - VZW | 0:07:41 |
31 | Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) V.C.C. Morteau Montbenoit | -1lap |
32 | Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept Cycling Team | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team VZW | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Ayako Toyooka (Jpn) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Nicole De Bie-Leyten (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Margriet Kloppenburg (Den) | -2laps |
37 | Nikoline Hansen (Den) Bov CC-Denmark | -3laps |
DNF | Céline Wittek (Fra) CV Lievinois | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gabriella Day (GBr) Renner Custom Cyclocross Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
1 | Daphny van den Brand (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl | 276 | pts |
2 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Women's Team | 230 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) | 196 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team | 195 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Brainwash | 180 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Sanne Cant (Bel) BOXX Veldritacademie | 179 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing | 178 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 143 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 121 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Sophie de Boer (Ned) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 116 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Nikki Harris (GBr) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 116 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Caroline Mani (Fra) CC Etupes | 103 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Focus MIG Team | 103 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Brainwash | 88 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Team Focus Bikes-Velo Club Rain | 85 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Arenda Grimberg (Ned) | 84 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Gabriella Day (GBr) Renner Custom Cyclocross Team | 79 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Linda van Rijen (Ned) Skil-Koga | 70 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Amy Dombroski (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club | 68 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld | 65 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Stevens | 60 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) A C Bazancourt Reims | 59 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Martina Mikulaskova (Cze) Simunek Cycling Project | 55 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Kriekel Cycling Team Tessenderlo | 47 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Cycling Team Vermeeren | 46 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Beziers-Mediterranee Cycle | 44 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Christine Majerus (Lux) | 40 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Meredith Miller (USA) California Giant-Specialized | 35 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Hilde Quintens (Bel) Van Goethem - Prorace Cycling Team | 35 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles | 34 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 34 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Rapha Focus | 34 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Nicole Duke (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld | 31 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Eva Lechner (Ita) | 30 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Nikoline Hansen (Den) Bov CC-Denmark | 26 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams | 20 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Tessa Van Nieuwpoort (Ned) | 17 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Nicole De Bie-Leyten (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 14 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) | 12 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti | 11 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Kajsa Snihs (Swe) | 10 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Vania Rossi (Ita) | 9 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco | 9 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Gesa Bruchmann (Ger) | 8 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi) Cycles Velo Passion | 7 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Stéphanie Vaxillaire-Denuit (Fra) CR Bourgogne | 6 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Cynthia Huygens (Fra) CC Cambresien | 4 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Katrien Thijs (Bel) K. Edegem Bicycle Club - BMX R | 3 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Katherine Sherwin (USA) Stans's NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team | 2 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
50 | Kim Van De Steene (Bel) Afdeling Oost-Vlaanderen WBV - VZW | 1 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
51 | Martina Zwick (Ger) ABUS Nutrixxion | 1 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
52 | Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) V.C.C. Morteau Montbenoit | 1 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Most Popular
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Exact Cross Kortrijk: Eli Iserbyt comines with teammate Michael Vanthourenhout for third career title
Iserbyt takes win ahead of Niels Vandeputte in second -
Exact Cross Kortrijk: Fem van Empel makes winning return to racing
World champion eases to victory in Kortrijk -
Ivar Slik rallies six months after horrific crash to return to Unbound Gravel 200 in 2025
'It's the ultimate race' says 2022 winner of Kansas race, who made history as first European to conquer Flint Hills -
Mark Cavendish: The moments that shaped a record-breaking career
The highs and lows of the Manx Missile’s 20-year career, from battling illness and injury to Tour de France supremacy