Wyman adds a third cobble trophy to her collection in Koppenbergcross
Cant, Harris round out podium
Helen Wyman (Kona) won the Koppenbercross on Thursday afternoon, the second round of the Bpost Bank cyclo-cross series. It's the eighth win of the season for Wyman. The European champion won ahead of Belgian champion Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) and British champion Nikki Harris (Young Telenet-Fidea).
Harris remains leader in the overall ranking of the Bpost Bank cyclo-cross series with a 29 second lead on Wyman. It was the farewell race of French rider Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Faren Kuota).
"My mantelpiece is getting heavy. It's my third cobble already," Wyman said. Three wins isn't quite near the number of wins of Sven Nys in the Elite Men category. Then again, Wyman is the only woman who managed to win the Koppenbergcross more than once.
After last week's win in Ruddervoorde defending champion Wyman heads to the European championships in Mlada Boleska, Czech Republic, as top-favourite. "The European championships are a goal. You have to defend your title. The freshest and strongest rider will win there. I'm pretty fresh," Wyman said.
At the Koppenbergcross Wyman always seemed in control of affairs. Wyman led most of the first lap. Uphill she showed her power and only Cant managed to stay within touching distance of the British rider who resides in Oudenaarde, near the Koppenberg. A group with Ferrier-Bruneau, Sophie de Boer (Young Telenet-Fidea), Harris and Ellen Van Loy (DNCS/PRO2012) trailed the duo by eight seconds.
During the second of four laps Harris closed the gap to the two leaders just before the ascent of the Koppenberg. Wyman didn't allow Harris to recover and she quickly upped the pace. "Cant didn't push on the sections where I gained time so I went again," Wyman said.
Harris quickly popped while Cant stood tall. In the meadow on the steepest part of the Koppenberg, Wyman stood on the pedals again and left Cant behind. At the top of the climb Cant trailed already by 10 seconds, with Harris five more seconds down. "In the descent I came back to about five seconds of Helen," said Cant, "but then I flatted and lost five more seconds when switching bikes. I think Helen and I were matched to each other today. Too bad I flatted but I'm pleased that I was in the mix for the win," Cant said.
During the third and fourth lap Wyman kept Cant in check. The Belgian rider came back to four seconds when hitting the final lap but she couldn't close the final meters. "She came close but not completely back. I just had to do two good climbs," Wyman said.
Meanwhile behind the duo Harris lost a bit of ground and settled for third place. In the background Christel Ferrier-Bruneau came to a crash in the descent. "I wanted to finish on the podium in my last race. I gave everything but it didn't work . I crashed because I wasn't lucid enough," Ferrier-Bruneau told Cyclingnews.
The third round of the Bpost Bank cyclo-cross series is held in Hasselt in two weeks time.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona | 0:34:24 |
2 | Sanne Cant (Bel) Enertherm - BKCP | 0:00:08 |
3 | Nikki Harris (GBr) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:00:18 |
4 | Sophie De Boer (Ned) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:00:58 |
5 | Ellen Van Loy (Bel) DNCS/PRO 2012 Cycling Team | 0:01:20 |
6 | Pavla Havlikova (Cze) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:29 |
7 | Githa Michiels (Bel) | 0:01:46 |
8 | Gabriella Durrin (GBr) | 0:01:52 |
9 | Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) | 0:02:04 |
10 | Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 0:02:36 |
11 | Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) Sengers Ladies Cycling Team | 0:02:56 |
12 | Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) | 0:02:57 |
13 | Katrien Thijs (Bel) UP Cycling Team | 0:04:13 |
14 | Margriet Helena Kloppenburg (Den) | 0:04:21 |
15 | Jolien Verschueren (Bel) Feestcomiteit Drogenboom | 0:04:22 |
16 | Stephanie De Croock (Bel) Wielerclub De Sprinters Malderen | 0:04:26 |
17 | Bianca Van Den Hoek (Ned) | 0:04:27 |
18 | Karine Temporelli (Fra) | 0:04:51 |
19 | Cindy Bauwens (Bel) | 0:05:24 |
20 | Delia Beddis (GBr) | 0:05:37 |
21 | Hilde Quintens (Bel) Cycling Team Zemst VZW | 0:05:50 |
22 | Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco - Revor Cycling Team | 0:06:03 |
23 | Axelle Bellaert (Bel) KVC de Zeemeeuw Oostende | 0:06:14 |
24 | Petra Mermans (Bel) Vanomobil MTB Cycling Team | 0:06:20 |
25 | Lindy Van Anrooij (Ned) | 0:06:37 |
26 | Ilse Vandekinderen (Bel) | 0:06:44 |
27 | Shana Maes (Bel) Kriekel Cycling Team Tessenderlo | 0:07:12 |
28 | Gertie Willems (Bel) Kriekel Cycling Team Tessenderlo | 0:07:19 |
29 | Ilona Meter (Ned) RCP Stevens | 0:08:20 |
30 | Claire Smith (GBr) | 0:08:25 |
31 | Claire Beaumont (GBr) | 0:08:35 |
32 | Femke Van Den Driessche (Bel) VZW Lotto-Ladiescycling | 0:08:43 |
33 | Brenda Kaczmarczyk (Pol) | 0:10:07 |
34 | Anja Geldhof (Bel) | 0:11:15 |
35 | Katleen Fraeye (Bel) Feestcomiteit Drogenboom | 0:11:57 |
36 (-1 lap) | Aurélie Vermeir (Bel) Kon. VC ´T Meetjesland - Knesselare | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 (-2 laps) | Cindy Diericx (Bel) | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Sandie Verriest (Bel) Asfra Racing Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 1:12:11 |
2 | Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing | 0:00:29 |
3 | Sanne Cant (Bel) Enertherm-BKCP | 0:01:01 |
4 | Sophie de Boer (Ned) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:03:05 |
5 | Ellen Van Loy (Bel) DNCS-Pro 2012 Cycling Team | 0:03:52 |
6 | Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:04:50 |
7 | Githa Michiels (Bel) Toka Print MTB Team | 0:05:44 |
8 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Liv/Giant | 0:06:38 |
9 | Gabriella Durrin (GBr) Rapha-Focus | 0:07:14 |
10 | Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Faren Kuota | 0:07:26 |
11 | Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 0:07:58 |
12 | Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) Up Cycling Team | 0:08:18 |
13 | Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe) Varbergs MTB-Cube | 0:08:19 |
14 | Katrien Thijs (Bel) Up Cycling Team | 0:09:35 |
15 | Margriet Helena Kloppenburg (Den) Endura Lady Force | 0:09:43 |
16 | Jolien Verschueren (Bel) Cycling Team Drogenboom | 0:09:44 |
17 | Stephanie De Croock (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Bioracer | 0:09:48 |
18 | Bianca van den Hoek | 0:09:49 |
19 | Karine Temporelli | 0:10:13 |
20 | Cindy Bauwens (Bel) | 0:10:22 |
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