Vos breaks Compton's run with Koksijde win

Cyclo-cross World Champion Marianne Vos has won the third round of the UCI's World Cup in Koksijde. Vos outsprinted compatriot Daphny Van den Brand to grab her first World Cup win of the season. Katherine Compton crashed halfway the race and eventually controlled the damage to finish third and retain her lead in the overall World Cup standings.

Vos was able to make good use of the powerful sprint which has earned her world titles in 'cross, road and track to claim her first World Cup win of the season. "I wasn't riding to make it a sprint, but of course I know it's a strong weapon for me," Vos said.

"It's a tough lap and I had a hard time to keep up with Daphny when riding up those dunes. My longer legs are in my advantage when running through the sand though," Vos added.

Van den Brand, who prefers a more technical course, found it difficult to unhinge Vos on a fast course in Koksijde. "It's a nice course but it was too easy because the sand was too loose," Van den Brand said.

Compton had a disastrous first lap and another crash halfway through the race put her out of contention for the victory. Undeterred, the American rode back into third position and was able to hold onto the overall lead in the World Cup standings. "I listened to the speakers and hoped Van den Brand would finish only second," Compton told Cyclingnews. Van den Brand is closing in on Compton and trails by only fifteen points.

Fourth placed Hanka Kupfernagel is still searching for her best form after taking a slow start to the season and missing most of the summer due to injury. The German rider had a good start but didn't have enough left in her tank to keep up with the leaders, and later  with Compton as she chased back into a podium position.

A tumultuous start included crashes all around the sandy course. In the first corner a massive pile-up occurred, involving Belgian Sanne Cant, and also Pavla Havlikova and Compton who hooked into each other. "I had nowhere to go and the crash broke some spokes," Compton said.

Panic hit the legs and Compton struggled through the first lap only after going through a few more crashes. "After that first crash I had to pit which put me back into traffic. Later on I crashed on my shoulder and then started on a wrong gear, crashing again... then I told myself: get your shit together and just pedal," Compton said.

An elite leader's group formed up ahead, which included Vos, Van den Brand, Dutch rider Sanne Van Paassen and Kupfernagel. When nearing the front of the race Compton crashed again - this time going over the handlebars - and she was left chasing at half a minute behind the leaders.

With three laps left to cover Compton bridged up to a group that rode for fifth place and one lap later the Colorado-based rider joined Sanne Van Paassen who rode in fourth place, at 36" from the leaders.

Meanwhile in front Vos and Van den Brand had dropped Kupfernagel. The two Dutch women collaborated well together and kept riding away from the rest of the field. Kupfernagel clearly had blown up her engine as one lap later Compton caught up with the German woman and quickly left her behind.

Going into the last lap Vos and Van den Brand were spotted talking when taking pulls on the finishing straight. "We agreed on collaborating further because we wanted to make sure the first two spots were ours," Van den Brand told Cyclingnews.

This pact put Compton in no man's land, being out of contention for the victory and well ahead of Kupfernagel. The latter was giving all she had to hold off Van Paassen, eventually with success. In front Van den Brand led most of the last lap and eventually she even led out the sprint. Vos needed little more and she finished her compatriot in the sprint.
 

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Results
1Marianne Vos (Netherlands) Dsb Bank - Nederland Bloeit0:38:02
2Daphny Van Den Brand (Netherlands)0:00:01
3Katherine Compton (United States Of America)0:00:41
4Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany)0:01:08
5Sanne Van Paassen (Netherlands)0:01:35
6Pavla Havlikova (Czech Republic)0:02:12
7Sanne Cant (Belgium)0:02:26
8Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (France) Vision 1 Racing0:02:31
9Helen Wyman (Great Britain)0:02:43
10Gabriella Day (Great Britain)0:03:10
11Reza Hormes (Netherlands)0:03:18
12Nikki Harris (Great Britain)0:03:35
13Caroline Mani (France) Vienne Futuroscope0:03:50
14Linda Van Rijen (Netherlands)0:03:51
15Sophie De Boer (Netherlands)0:03:53
16Nadia Triquet-Claude (France)0:03:56
17Evelyn Staffler (Italy)0:04:13
18Rosa Maria Bravo Soba (Spain)0:04:21
19Lucie Chainel Lefevre (France)0:04:24
20Joyce Vanderbeken (Belgium)0:04:39
21Maureen Demaret Guichardot (France)0:04:41
22Arenda Grimberg (Netherlands)0:04:57
23Jana Kyptova (Czech Republic)0:05:01
24Sabrina Schweizer (Germany)0:05:10
25Veerle Ingels (Belgium)0:05:21
26Nancy Bober (Belgium)0:06:16
27Nikoline Hansen (Denmark)0:06:18
28Birgit Hollmann (Germany)0:06:19
29Veronica Alessio (Italy) Gauss Rdz Ormu - Colnago0:06:56
30Nicole De Bie - Leyten (Belgium)0:07:43
31Katrien Vermeiren (Belgium)0:08:17
32Perrine Philippe (France)0:08:27
33Christine Vardaros (United States Of America)0:08:46
34 -1 lapKate Potter (Australia)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Katrien Thijs (Belgium)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Stéphanie Vaxillaire-Denuit (France)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Vicki Thomas (Canada)Row 36 - Cell 2
38 -2 lapKim Van Renterghem (Belgium)Row 37 - Cell 2
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Elite women standings after 3 rounds
1Katherine Compton (USA) Planet Bike165pts
2Daphny van den Brand (Ned) ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida140Row 1 - Cell 3
3Sanne van Paassen (Ned) ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida120Row 2 - Cell 3
4Marianne Vos (Ned) DSB Bank - Nederland Bloeit110Row 3 - Cell 3
5Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra)99Row 4 - Cell 3
6Pavla Havlikova (Cze) KC Kooperativa SG Jablonec84Row 5 - Cell 3
7Caroline Mani (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope74Row 6 - Cell 3
8Sanne Cant (Bel) A.D.S. Selle Italia Guerciotti74Row 7 - Cell 3
9Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona-FSA72Row 8 - Cell 3
10Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Itera-Stevens70Row 9 - Cell 3
11Nadia Triquet-Claude (Fra)52Row 10 - Cell 3
12Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) J&G Cycling Team49Row 11 - Cell 3
13Gabriella Day (GBr)47Row 12 - Cell 3
14Linda Van Rijen (Ned)45Row 13 - Cell 3
15Jana Kyptova (Cze) Johnson Controls AS MB41Row 14 - Cell 3
16Katrin Leumann (Swi) goldwurst-power Sputnik37Row 15 - Cell 3
17Katerina Nash (Cze)35Row 16 - Cell 3
18Lucie Lefevre (Fra) CC Etupes le Doubs pays de Montbéliard35Row 17 - Cell 3
19Elisabeth Brandau (Ger)30Row 18 - Cell 3
20Rosa Maria Bravo Soba (Spa)29Row 19 - Cell 3
21Saskia Elemans (Ned) Team Flexpoint29Row 20 - Cell 3
22Sophie De Boer (Ned)26Row 21 - Cell 3
23Reza Hormes (Ned) Team ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida24Row 22 - Cell 3
24Nikki Harris (GBr) Team Flexpoint24Row 23 - Cell 3
25Evelyn Staffler (Ita)22Row 24 - Cell 3
26Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Team Ton Van Bemmelen Sports-Merida22Row 25 - Cell 3
27Eva Lechner (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu-Colnago20Row 26 - Cell 3
28Veronica Alessio (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu - Colnago17Row 27 - Cell 3
29Maureen Demaret Guichardot17Row 28 - Cell 3
30Susan Butler (USA) MonaVieCannondale.com14Row 29 - Cell 3
31Camille Darcel (Fra) VC Dinannais11Row 30 - Cell 3
32Nancy Bober (Bel) Casa Verde Race Factory11Row 31 - Cell 3
33Francesca Cucciniello (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti A.S.D.10Row 32 - Cell 3
34Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) Vélo Club Ornans8Row 33 - Cell 3
35Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Rad-Union 1917Row 34 - Cell 3
36Suzie Godart (Lux) CCI Differdange7Row 35 - Cell 3
37Veerle Ingels (Bel) AVB - Cycling Team6Row 36 - Cell 3
38Elke Riedl (Aut) Team Vorarlberg Corratec6Row 37 - Cell 3
39Nikoline Hansen (Den)4Row 38 - Cell 3
40Stefania Vecchio (Ita) G.S.Cicli Fiorin Despar4Row 39 - Cell 3
41Birgit Hollmann (Ger) BRC Zugvogel Berlin3Row 40 - Cell 3
42Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Fischer-BMC3Row 41 - Cell 3
43Vicki Thomas (Can) Ottawa Cross3Row 42 - Cell 3
44Christine Vardaros (USA)2Row 43 - Cell 3
45Nicolle De Bie-Leyten (Bel) AVB - Cycling Team2Row 44 - Cell 3

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