Compton wins convincingly at Koksijde World Cup

American champion Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) captured a convincing win in the famous sands of rainy Koksijde, Belgium during the third round of the UCI's World Cup. The power from Compton proved lethal on the course utilised for the world championships in January as first chaser Nikki Harris (Young Telenet-Fidea) finished 1:27 in arrears of the winner.

Due to the distant sixth place result from Sanne van Paassen (Rabobank Women) Compton's overall lead in the World Cup standings increases to 40 points over van Paassen, Harris and Helen Wyman (Kona), all tied at 130 points.

"It's looking good for the World Cup after this win. I love this course. There's not a lot of place to recover," Compton said.

British rider Helen Wyman grabbed the hole shot in Koksijde but she was quickly passed by Belgian champion Sanne Cant (Veldritacademie Enertherm - BKCP). Halfway through the opening lap Harris and Compton moved past the Belgian who – maybe caught by surprise – went over the handlebars in the dune drop that followed. In a long sand section Harris worked hard to stay on her bike while Compton opted for a long run. Compton moved to the lead and in the remaining metres to the first passage of the finish line she turned on the gas and gapped the rest of the field; Harris quickly trailed by 10 seconds.

"I got off to a good start and a smooth beginning of my race. Today I didn't have the technical skills for the sand so I muscled through it," Compton said.

Compton rode a clean second lap during the five-lap race, allowing her to increase her lead up to 40 seconds on Harris. "I tried to stay with her but with five laps to go I didn't want to blow up," Harris said. "I was happy to be on my own, actually, as I could choose my own lines."

Harris continued as the first chaser but she was marked by French rider Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (BHSR Suntour-Peisey Vallandry). "I hoped she would run out of gas and I rode my own pace," Harris said.

Behind the top three a group with Cant, Wyman and Sanne Van Paassen rode together at more than a minute from Compton before the halfway point.

Though Compton made a couple of mistakes in the following laps she was still much faster than the opposition and kept increasing her lead up to more than a minute at the finish. Harris rode comfortably to second place, her best result in the World Cup. Behind her Chainel started fading and she was eventually overtaken by Cant on the final lap. "I lost my rhythm," Chainel told Cyclingnews.

Wyman gapped Van Paassen in the final stages of the race to secure fifth place. While the rain was pouring down at the finish line a clearly disappointed van Paassen hurried to get back to her camper without giving a reaction.

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Full Results
1Katie Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective0:44:10
2Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:01:27
3Sanne Cant (Bel) Veldritacademie Enertherm - BKCP0:01:56
4Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry0:02:04
5Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Team0:02:16
6Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank Women Team0:02:33
7Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Rapha-Focus0:02:54
8Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Women Team0:03:16
9Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Gabriella Day (GBr) Rapha-Focus0:03:29
11Amy Dombroski (USA) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:03:31
12Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Hitec Products - Mistral Home Cycling Team0:03:38
13Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT0:04:40
14Arenda Grimberg (Ned) WV Het Stadion0:04:49
15Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) VCCMM0:05:01
16Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:05:03
17Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Fra) Rabobank Women Team0:05:27
18Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams0:05:41
19Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Wielerteam Decock Sportivo Moorsele0:06:10
20Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe)0:06:34
21Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept0:06:49
22Kim Van de Steene (Bel) Kon. VC T Meetjesland-Knesselare0:07:48
23Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team0:08:25
24Tereza Medvedova (Svk)0:09:01
25Hilde Quintens (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT0:09:37
26Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi) Team Pro Region RenfersaRow 25 - Cell 2
27Angelica Edvardsson (Swe)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Evy Kuijpers (Ned)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Margriet Kloppenburg (Den) BMC Concept StoreRow 28 - Cell 2
30Kristien Nelen (Bel) Houffalize Granville TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Christine Vardaros (USA) BabocoRow 30 - Cell 2
32Lana Verberne (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Lierni Lekuona Etxebeste (Spa)Row 32 - Cell 2
34Eva Colin (Fra) VC OrnansRow 33 - Cell 2
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World Cup standings after three rounds
1Katie Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective170pts
2Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank Women Team130Row 1 - Cell 3
3Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team130Row 2 - Cell 3
4Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Team130Row 3 - Cell 3
5Sanne Cant (Bel) Veldritacademie Enertherm - BKCP113Row 4 - Cell 3
6Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Rapha-Focus86Row 5 - Cell 3
7Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry82Row 6 - Cell 3
8Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team72Row 7 - Cell 3
9Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Hitec Products - Mistral Home Cycling Team69Row 8 - Cell 3
10Gabriella Day (GBr) Rapha-Focus68Row 9 - Cell 3
11Arenda Grimberg (Ned) WV Het Stadion49Row 10 - Cell 3
12Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) VCCMM45Row 11 - Cell 3
13Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT43Row 12 - Cell 3
14Amy Dombroski (USA) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team42Row 13 - Cell 3
15Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld37Row 14 - Cell 3
16Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) RusVelo35Row 15 - Cell 3
17Julie Krasniak (Fra) Rapha-Focus34Row 16 - Cell 3
18Vania Rossi (Ita)34Row 17 - Cell 3
19Sophie de Boer (Ned) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team33Row 18 - Cell 3
20Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams31Row 19 - Cell 3
21Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Wielerteam Decock Sportivo Moorsele29Row 20 - Cell 3
22Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Rapha-Focus27Row 21 - Cell 3
23Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Women Team26Row 22 - Cell 3
24Alice Arzuffi (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite20Row 23 - Cell 3
25Martina Mikulaskova (Cze)17Row 24 - Cell 3
26Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles17Row 25 - Cell 3
27Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team15Row 26 - Cell 3
28Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Fra) Rabobank Women Team14Row 27 - Cell 3
29Francesca Cauz (Ita) Fassa Bortolo - Servetto13Row 28 - Cell 3
30Margriet Kloppenburg (Den) BMC Concept Store12Row 29 - Cell 3
31Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe)11Row 30 - Cell 3
32Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept11Row 31 - Cell 3
33Tereza Medvedova (Svk)10Row 32 - Cell 3
34Kim Van de Steene (Bel) Kon. VC T Meetjesland-Knesselare9Row 33 - Cell 3
35Caroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh-Clement9Row 34 - Cell 3
36Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team8Row 35 - Cell 3
37Hilde Quintens (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT6Row 36 - Cell 3
38Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi) Team Pro Region Renfersa5Row 37 - Cell 3
39Angelica Edvardsson (Swe)4Row 38 - Cell 3
40Karla Stepanova (Cze)4Row 39 - Cell 3
41Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco4Row 40 - Cell 3
42Evy Kuijpers (Ned)3Row 41 - Cell 3
43Nadja Heigl (Aut)2Row 42 - Cell 3
44Kristien Nelen (Bel) Houffalize Granville Team1Row 43 - Cell 3

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