Kaptheijns dominates the Zonhoven pit

Maud Kaptheijns (Crelan-Charles) won the second round of the Superprestige Ladies Trophy in Zonhoven, leading from flag to flag once again.

Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) finished second at a distant 1:07, while Nikki Brammeier (Boels-Dolmans) was third at 1:14.

“I like to race on the sand, though it was heavy - certainly in this hot weather,” Kaptheijns said after the race. “This is my most beautiful victory. Gieten was beautiful, but I don’t think there is anything more beautiful than winning in Zonhoven’s pit.”

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Ahead of the race a fight between Kaptheijns and the in-form Katie Compton (KFC Racing p/b Trek-Panache) had been anticipated. The US champion had gotten the better of Kaptheijns at the DVV Trofee in Ronse a week ago, also beating her at Saturday’s Poldercross. But Zonhoven was - much like the opening round in Gieten - all about one woman after Compton suffered with asthma and allergies in the warm conditions and Belgian pine trees.

Kaptheijns set the tone from the start, leading the way in the unseasonable 23°c heat and establishing a small gap on the opening lap of ‘the sandpit’.

World Champion Cant endured a nightmare start, falling over 30 seconds back, while a chase group of four - Compton, Brammeier, Worst (Era-Circus) and Ellen Van Loy (Telenet-Fidea Lions) - separated themselves from the rest of the pack.

It quickly became clear that Kaptheijns wouldn’t be challenged as her lead grew and grew. Twelve seconds clear at the end of lap one; she added around ten more on every trip around. On lap two it looked like second place would be decided early too, as Brammeier went clear of the chase group.

The Brit opened a 20 second gap on Worst and the rest of the chasers midway through the race, but Cant was a woman on a mission, determined to work her way to the podium. On the penultimate lap she picked off Worst before catching and passing Brammeier off-camera on the final lap to take the second spot on the podi-um.

Top spot belonged to Kaptheijns though and on form like this, her rivals will be wondering what they have to do to get a look in during the remaining six Super-prestige rounds. Meanwhile Compton fell back as the race went on and eventually finished in seventh place.

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