Compton crushes opposition at Namur 'Cross World Cup

Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) dominated the racing in Namur, with its muddy, sloping course. On a drizzling Sunday afternoon in Belgium, she collected her fourth World Cup win of the season. Compton now has an extremely comfortable lead of 80 points over Sanne van Paassen (Rabobank Women) in the World Cup standings.

"The technical parts were fun, although the off-camber section was tricky. I love this race," said Compton. "Things are looking really good for the World Cup. I might not have to go to Hoogerheide to get the overall win." To skip the final World Cup round in Hoogerheide, the US-champion must have a lead of at least 60 points after the next two World Cup rounds in Zolder and Rome.

During Sunday's race in Namur, the Colorado-based rider quickly gapped her rivals during a spectacular first lap. Halfway through the lap, Compton moved forward while mistakes were made behind her.

World champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank Women), who was making her debut in the World Cup, twice dived into the mud, losing a lot of ground. "It was a tough 'cross, and it gets tougher if you see the mud from up close a couple of times," Vos said.

Vos' fumblings meant that after one lap, Compton led the race by a handful of seconds over Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) and Van Paassen. The latter woman lost contact with Nash as she seemed hesitant to tackle the steep, slippery drops.

Halfway through the race, Compton led Nash by 15 seconds while a group with Vos, Van Paassen, Helen Wyman (Kona) and Nikki Harris (Young Telenet-Fidea) trailed the leader by more than half a minute.

Things turned around during the third of four laps as Nash showed off her great technical skills on an off-camber descent. She was kick-stepping and sliding towards Compton. "I heard her coming on the run-up. I had to commit and had something extra for the final one and a half laps. I tried to keep it smooth from there," Compton said, describing how she quickly distanced Nash.

"She could sense me and had more left in her tank," Nash said. "I also flatted during the last lap, but I was already 10 seconds down on her. I told myself not to make more mistakes."

Behind them, Vos unleashed her power and gapped all of her rivals, seemingly securing third place. Vos was half a minute down on Nash, but she had the momentum to make up a lot of ground during the bell lap. "You can never count her out, but I tried to ride my own race," Nash said.

Eventually Vos had to focus on who was behind her rather than ahead of her as Wyman was on her heels. "I still need to get hold of the 'cross rhythm," Vos said.

Positions remained the same in the final lap, with Compton winning ahead of Nash and Vos. British champion Wyman was satisfied with her fourth place, well ahead of her compatriot Harris and Van Paassen.

The next round of the World Cup will be held in Zolder on Wednesday.

Full Results

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Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Katherine Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective0:38:09
2Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team0:00:28
3Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Women Cycling Team0:00:50
4Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona0:00:55
5Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team0:01:24
6Sanne Van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank Women Cycling Team0:01:51
7Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry0:01:57
8Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol0:02:41
9Sanne Cant (Bel) Veldritacademie Enertherm - BKCP0:02:46
10Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Hitec Products - Mistral Home Cycling Team0:02:48
11Meredith Miller (USA) California Giant / Specialized0:03:23
12Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Rapha - Focus0:03:36
13Ellen Van Loy (Bel)0:03:51
14Amy Dombroski (USA) Young Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team0:03:59
15Julie Krasniak (Fra) Rapha - Focus0:04:05
16Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team0:04:11
17Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams0:04:30
18Nicole Duke (USA) Raleigh - ClementRow 17 - Cell 2
19Crystal Anthony (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com0:04:47
20Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Rapha - Focus0:04:50
21Gabriella Day (GBr) Rapha - Focus0:04:53
22Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Women Cycling Team0:05:20
23Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld.com0:05:23
24Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill P/B Seven0:05:28
25Arenda Grimberg (Ned)0:05:43
26Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team0:05:45
27Reza Hormes (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:06:22
28Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe)0:06:41
29Ayako Toyooka (Jpn)0:06:54
30Andrea Smith (USA) Ladiesfirst Racing0:06:59
31Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel)0:07:12
32Caroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh - Clement0:07:34
33Genevieve Whitson (NZl) ASPTT Dijon - Bourgogne0:07:45
34Marlene Petit (Fra)0:07:59
35Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Notebooksbilliger.De Team0:08:13
36Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi)0:08:16
37Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept0:08:48
38Hilde Quintens (Bel)0:08:54
39Eva Colin (Fra)0:09:04
40Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra)0:09:35
-1lapMargriet Helena Kloppenburg (Den)Row 40 - Cell 2
-1lapChristine Vardaros (USA) Baboco Cycling TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
-1lapKatrien Thijs (Bel)Row 42 - Cell 2
-1lapLana Verberne (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
-1lapEvy Kuijpers (Ned)Row 44 - Cell 2
-1lapKaren Verhestraeten (Bel) Sengers Ladies Cycling TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
-1lapZuzana Vojtasova (Svk)Row 46 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite women World Cup standings after five rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Katherine Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective290pts
2Sanne Van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank Women Cycling Team210Row 1 - Cell 3
3Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team205Row 2 - Cell 3
4Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona188Row 3 - Cell 3
5Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Rapha - Focus150Row 4 - Cell 3
6Sanne Cant (Bel) Veldritacademie Enertherm - BKCP137Row 5 - Cell 3
7Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry129Row 6 - Cell 3
8Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Hitec Products - Mistral Home Cycling Team126Row 7 - Cell 3
9Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team115Row 8 - Cell 3
10Gabriella Day (GBr) Rapha - Focus108Row 9 - Cell 3
11Ellen Van Loy (Bel)87Row 10 - Cell 3
12Amy Dombroski (USA) Young Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team79Row 11 - Cell 3
13Arenda Grimberg (Ned)72Row 12 - Cell 3
14Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra)61Row 13 - Cell 3
15Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team50Row 14 - Cell 3
16Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol50Row 15 - Cell 3
17Julie Krasniak (Fra) Rapha - Focus50Row 16 - Cell 3
18Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Rapha - Focus50Row 17 - Cell 3
19Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Women Cycling Team48Row 18 - Cell 3
20Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Women Cycling Team45Row 19 - Cell 3
21Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld.com45Row 20 - Cell 3
22Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams45Row 21 - Cell 3
23Martina Mikulaskova (Cze)39Row 22 - Cell 3
24Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Rusvelo35Row 23 - Cell 3
25Vania Rossi (Ita)34Row 24 - Cell 3
26Sophie De Boer (Ned) Young Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team33Row 25 - Cell 3
27Reza Hormes (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team33Row 26 - Cell 3
28Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel)32Row 27 - Cell 3
29Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti31Row 28 - Cell 3
30Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank Women Cycling Team29Row 29 - Cell 3
31Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill P/B Seven24Row 30 - Cell 3
32Meredith Miller (USA) California Giant / Specialized20Row 31 - Cell 3
33Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe)19Row 32 - Cell 3
34Kim Van De Steene (Bel)19Row 33 - Cell 3
35Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team19Row 34 - Cell 3
36Tereza Medvedova (Svk)14Row 35 - Cell 3
37Nicole Duke (USA) Raleigh - Clement13Row 36 - Cell 3
38Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept13Row 37 - Cell 3
39Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi)13Row 38 - Cell 3
40Francesca Cauz (Ita) Fassa Bortolo - Servetto13Row 39 - Cell 3
41Crystal Anthony (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com12Row 40 - Cell 3
42Margriet Helena Kloppenburg (Den)12Row 41 - Cell 3
43Elena Valentini (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti9Row 42 - Cell 3
44Caroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh - Clement9Row 43 - Cell 3
45Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Notebooksbilliger.De Team7Row 44 - Cell 3
46Hilde Quintens (Bel)6Row 45 - Cell 3
47Angelica Edvardsson (Swe)4Row 46 - Cell 3
48Karla Stepanova (Cze)4Row 47 - Cell 3
49Evy Kuijpers (Ned)4Row 48 - Cell 3
50Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco Cycling Team4Row 49 - Cell 3
51Ayako Toyooka (Jpn)2Row 50 - Cell 3
52Nadja Heigl (Aut)2Row 51 - Cell 3
53Andrea Smith (USA) Ladiesfirst Racing1Row 52 - Cell 3
54Kristien Nelen (Bel) Houffalize-Granville Team1Row 53 - Cell 3

 

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