Vos prevails in penultimate World Cup round

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.

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Full Results
1Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Women's Team0:39:30
2Daphny van den Brand (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl0:00:48
3Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team0:01:14
4Caroline Mani (Fra) CC Etupes0:01:19
5Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing0:01:20
6Sophie de Boer (Ned) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:01:50
7Nikki Harris (GBr) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:01:51
8Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra)0:02:21
9Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:02:35
10Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Focus MIG Team0:02:41
11Sanne Cant (Bel) BOXX Veldritacademie0:02:49
12Arenda Grimberg (Ned)0:02:50
13Martina Mikulaskova (Cze) Simunek Cycling Project0:02:52
14Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Team Focus Bikes-Velo Club Rain0:02:58
15Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team0:03:03
16Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld0:03:30
17Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Brainwash0:03:58
18Christine Majerus (Lux)0:04:01
19Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Cycling Team Vermeeren0:04:02
20Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams0:04:44
21Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Rapha Focus0:04:45
22Hilde Quintens (Bel) Van Goethem - Prorace Cycling Team0:05:02
23Linda van Rijen (Ned) Skil-Koga0:05:16
24Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:05:27
25Stéphanie Vaxillaire-Denuit (Fra) CR Bourgogne0:05:37
26Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco0:05:55
27Cynthia Huygens (Fra) CC Cambresien0:06:06
28Katrien Thijs (Bel) K. Edegem Bicycle Club - BMX R0:06:37
29Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi) Cycles Velo Passion0:07:26
30Kim Van De Steene (Bel) Afdeling Oost-Vlaanderen WBV - VZW0:07:41
31Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) V.C.C. Morteau Montbenoit-1lap
32Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept Cycling TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team VZWRow 32 - Cell 2
34Ayako Toyooka (Jpn)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Nicole De Bie-Leyten (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Margriet Kloppenburg (Den)-2laps
37Nikoline Hansen (Den) Bov CC-Denmark-3laps
DNFCéline Wittek (Fra) CV LievinoisRow 37 - Cell 2
DNFGabriella Day (GBr) Renner Custom Cyclocross TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
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World Cup standings after 6 rounds
1Daphny van den Brand (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl276pts
2Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Women's Team230Row 1 - Cell 3
3Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra)196Row 2 - Cell 3
4Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team195Row 3 - Cell 3
5Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Brainwash180Row 4 - Cell 3
6Sanne Cant (Bel) BOXX Veldritacademie179Row 5 - Cell 3
7Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing178Row 6 - Cell 3
8Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team143Row 7 - Cell 3
9Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team121Row 8 - Cell 3
10Sophie de Boer (Ned) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team116Row 9 - Cell 3
11Nikki Harris (GBr) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team116Row 10 - Cell 3
12Caroline Mani (Fra) CC Etupes103Row 11 - Cell 3
13Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Focus MIG Team103Row 12 - Cell 3
14Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Brainwash88Row 13 - Cell 3
15Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Team Focus Bikes-Velo Club Rain85Row 14 - Cell 3
16Arenda Grimberg (Ned)84Row 15 - Cell 3
17Gabriella Day (GBr) Renner Custom Cyclocross Team79Row 16 - Cell 3
18Linda van Rijen (Ned) Skil-Koga70Row 17 - Cell 3
19Amy Dombroski (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club68Row 18 - Cell 3
20Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld65Row 19 - Cell 3
21Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Stevens60Row 20 - Cell 3
22Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) A C Bazancourt Reims59Row 21 - Cell 3
23Martina Mikulaskova (Cze) Simunek Cycling Project55Row 22 - Cell 3
24Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Kriekel Cycling Team Tessenderlo47Row 23 - Cell 3
25Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Cycling Team Vermeeren46Row 24 - Cell 3
26Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Beziers-Mediterranee Cycle44Row 25 - Cell 3
27Christine Majerus (Lux)40Row 26 - Cell 3
28Meredith Miller (USA) California Giant-Specialized35Row 27 - Cell 3
29Hilde Quintens (Bel) Van Goethem - Prorace Cycling Team35Row 28 - Cell 3
30Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles34Row 29 - Cell 3
31Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team34Row 30 - Cell 3
32Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Rapha Focus34Row 31 - Cell 3
33Nicole Duke (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld31Row 32 - Cell 3
34Eva Lechner (Ita)30Row 33 - Cell 3
35Nikoline Hansen (Den) Bov CC-Denmark26Row 34 - Cell 3
36Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams20Row 35 - Cell 3
37Tessa Van Nieuwpoort (Ned)17Row 36 - Cell 3
38Nicole De Bie-Leyten (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team14Row 37 - Cell 3
39Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe)12Row 38 - Cell 3
40Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti11Row 39 - Cell 3
41Kajsa Snihs (Swe)10Row 40 - Cell 3
42Vania Rossi (Ita)9Row 41 - Cell 3
43Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco9Row 42 - Cell 3
44Gesa Bruchmann (Ger)8Row 43 - Cell 3
45Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi) Cycles Velo Passion7Row 44 - Cell 3
46Stéphanie Vaxillaire-Denuit (Fra) CR Bourgogne6Row 45 - Cell 3
47Cynthia Huygens (Fra) CC Cambresien4Row 46 - Cell 3
48Katrien Thijs (Bel) K. Edegem Bicycle Club - BMX R3Row 47 - Cell 3
49Katherine Sherwin (USA) Stans's NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team2Row 48 - Cell 3
50Kim Van De Steene (Bel) Afdeling Oost-Vlaanderen WBV - VZW1Row 49 - Cell 3
51Martina Zwick (Ger) ABUS Nutrixxion1Row 50 - Cell 3
52Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) V.C.C. Morteau Montbenoit1Row 51 - Cell 3

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