With the World Championships a mere two weeks away, 14-time U.S. national cyclocross champion Katie Compton (KFC Racing-Trek-Panache) sent a shot across the bow with a blistering performance in Nommay, France on Sunday at the Telenet UCI Cyclocross World Cup. She powered away from the others on the opening lap and stayed nearly flawless the rest of the race to win by nearly a minute on a chilly day in France.
It would be a great day for the American contingent as Kaitie Keough (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) came home in second. It was her fourth podium finish in a World Cup race this season. Keough is currently ranked second in the UCI rankings and second in the World Cup standings.
The fans let out a roar, as newly crowned French national cyclocross champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (WM3) finished third. Ferrand-Prevot is a threat for the world title, having been World Champion in 2015.
Current World Champion Sanne Cant (Corendon-Circus) had an off day and finished 12th. She retained her lead in the World Cup standings and barring a major disaster at the final round in Hoogerheide next week, she will win the series.
Top 10
- 1. Katherine Compton, ((USA)) KFC RACING-TREK-PANACHE, in 45:03
- 2. Kaitlin Keough, ((USA)) CANNONDALE-CYCLOCROSSWORLD, at 00:55
- 3. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra), ((FRA)) CANYON-SRAM, at 01:20
- 4. Helen Wyman (GBr), ((GBR)) XYPEX – VERGE SPORT, at 01:30
- 5. Christine Majerus, ((LUX)) BOELS-DOLMANS, at 01:30
- 6. Alice Maria Arzuffi, ((ITA)) STEYLAERTS – BETFIRST, at 01:42
- 7. Eva Lechner, ((ITA)) CLIF PRO TEAM, at 02:04
- 8. Jolanda Neff, ((SWI)) , at 02:21
- 9. Ellen Van Loy (Bel), ((BEL)) TELENET FIDEA, at 02:38
- 10. Caroline Mani (Fra), ((FRA)) VAN DESSEL-ATOM COMPOSITES, at 02:42
It was a cold and chilly day in Nommay, France on Sunday for the eighth round of the Telenet UCI Cyclocross World Cup. The course in Nommay was rolling and heavy rains caused it to be a muddy affair. The cold temperatures had threatened overnight snow, but instead the region recieved rain. The mud in Nommay wasn’t terribly thick, so the riders didn’t have to dismount on the long straight sections. The multiple rolling hills, however, were not rideable, forcing the riders to run.
Ellen van Loy (Telenet Fidea) sprinted down the paved start/finishing straight and led the group onto the stairs. In Nommay, instead of turning onto the grass to begin the course, the riders tackle a flight of stairs. This makes having a great start that much more important.
Cant looked good early in the race, slotting in behind van Loy. American Elle Anderson (Cycling.be-Alpha Motorhomes) also had a good start and sat third wheel in the early going. But soon Compton came to the front and laid down the power.
Compton simply rode away from everyone on the opening lap. Alice Arzuffi (Steylaerts-BetFirst) took up the second position chasing Compton, while two chase groups formed behind. Eva Lechner (Clif Pro Team) took out many riders in the second chase group, as she slid out on a corner. Keough was in this group at the time and quickly had to dismount to get around the carnage. Van Loy, Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team), Helen Wyman (Xypex-Verge Sport), Christine Majerus (Boels-Dolmans) and Cant were all ahead of the crash.
Cant would lose many places at the end of the lap, as she dropped her chain. She was forced to stop and put it back on manually.
At the end of the opening lap, Compton had opened an enormous gap of 18 seconds over Arzuffi, who was still alone in second. Wyman and Majerus came across the line in the third and fourth spot, nearly half a minute behind the American champion. They were followed quickly by van Loy, Keough and Nash. Cant’s mechanical put her outside of the top 10 at the end of the first lap.
Keough came on strong in the second lap, passing Wyman and Majerus to move into a podium position. Another rider on the move was cross-country mountain-bike world champion Jolanda Neff. The Swiss rider was forced to start a couple rows back in the grid due to a lack of UCI points, but on the second lap, she had moved into the top 10. Ferrand-Prevot was seen riding near Cant just outside the top 10.
Compton’s lead was over 30 seconds as she crossed the line with three laps to go. Arzuffi was still fighting alone in second, but Keough was hunting her down. Keough would make the pass on the third lap to take over second place, but by this point in the race that would be as high as she would go. Compton was a tear and demonstrating her expert technical skills on the muddy course.
While Neff began to lose places in the second half of the race, Ferrand-Prevot was passing her competitors. Entering the final lap, the Frenchwoman found herself in a four-rider group fighting for the last spot on the podium. Standing in Ferrand-Prevot’s way of a World Cup podium on home soil was Wyman, Majerus, and Arzuffi.
Compton crossed the finish line in Nommay with a huge smile on her face. The victory was her first in the World Cup series this season and it could not have come at a better time. The World Championships in Valkenburg are a mere two weeks away.
Keough finished second and Ferrand-Prevot was able to ride away from the others in her group on the final lap to claim third. Wyman outsprinted Majerus for the fourth spot.
The Telenet UCI Cyclocross World Cup series continues on January 28 in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands.
Full results
- 1. Katherine Compton, (USA) , in 45:03
- 2. Kaitlin Keough, (USA), 45:58
- 3. Pauline Ferrand Prevot, (FRA), 46:23
- 4. Helen Wyman, (GBR), 46:33
- 5. Christine Majerus, (LUX), 46:33
- 6. Alice Maria Arzuffi, (ITA), 46:45
- 7. Eva Lechner, (ITA), 47:07
- 8. Jolanda Neff, (SUI), 47:24
- 9. Ellen Van Loy, (BEL), 47:41
- 10. Caroline Mani, (FRA), 47:45
- 11. Katerina Nash, (CZE). 47:50
- 12. Sanne Cant, (BEL), 47:53
- 13. Elisabeth Brandau, (GER), 47:53
- 14. Nikki Brammeier, (GBR), 48:02
- 15. Annemarie Worst, (NED), 48:19
- 16. Fleur Nagengast, (NED). 48:27
- 17. Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado, (NED), 48:34
- 18. Maghalie Rochette, (CAN), 48:36
- 19. Maud Kaptheijns, (NED), 48:49
- 20. Marion Norbert Riberolle, (FRA), 48:50
- 21. Manon Bakker, (NED), 48:57
- 22. Elle Anderson, (USA), 49:15
- 23. Jolien Verschueren, (BEL), 49:20
- 24. Joyce Vanderbeken, (BEL), 49:28
- 25. Loes Sels, (BEL), 49:36
- 26. Inge Van Der Heijden, (NED), 49:37
- 27. Pavla HavlÍkovÁ, (CZE), 49:40
- 28. Marlène Petit, (FRA), 49:44
- 29. Francesca Baroni, (ITA), 49:56
- 30. Lucia Gonzalez Blanco, (ESP), 50:06
- 31. Nadja Heigl, (AUT), 50:32
- 32. Christel Ferrier Bruneau, (CAN), :50:40
- 33. Ruby West, (CAN), 50:53
- 34. Geerte Hoeke, (NED), 51:01
- 35. Rebecca Fahringer, (USA), 51:05
- 36. Marlène Morel Petitgirard, (FRA), 51:05
- 37. Karen Verhestraeten, (BEL), 51:32
- 38. Jade Wiel, (FRA), 51:40
- 39. Irene Trabazo Bragado, (ESP), 52:34
- 40. Beth Ann Orton, (USA), 52:44
- 41. Chiara Teocchi, (ITA), 52:51
- 42. Olatz Odriozola Mugica, (ESP), 52:55
- 43. Pauline Delhaye, (FRA), 53:06
- 44. Noemi RÜegg, (SUI), 53:26
- 45. Magdeleine Vallieres Mill, (CAN), 53:59
- 46. Zina Barhoumi, (SUI), 54:47
- 47. Luisa Ibarrola Albizua, (ESP),55:02
- 48. Corey Coogan Cisek, (USA), 55:42
- 49. Elizabeth UngermanovÁ, (CZE), 56:01
- 50. Siobhan Kelly, (CAN)
- 51. Amaia Lartitegi Ormazabal, (ESP)
- 52. Christine Vardaros, (USA)
- 53. Saioa Gil Ranero, (ESP)
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