Vos leads Dutch sweep at Zolder

World champion Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) captured her second World Cup win of the season in Zolder, Belgium. The Dutch woman powered away from her compatriot Daphny van den Brand (AA Drink-Leontien.nl) on the penultimate lap. At the finish line on the former F1 racing circuit, Vos had half a minute on the World Cup leader. The last podium spot in the fifth World Cup round of the year was captured by another Dutch woman, Sanne van Paassen (Brainwash).

"Not much separated me from Daphny today. I waited for a good moment to attack, and then I went 100 percent for it. After crawling over the steep 'wall' I had a few meters, and I knew that I could turn that into some more on the following asphalted stretch," Vos said.

The second place from Van den Brand was more than enough to extend her overall lead in the World Cup rankings. Van den Brand now has a margin of 46 points over Van Paassen and ten more on Vos.

"It can still escape me. I think I'll have to finish top-five every time Vos wins a race," Van den Brand said.

The early part of the race in Zolder was led by British champion Helen Wyman (Kona). Halfway through the opening lap, Vos and Van den Brand powered away from Wyman with nobody being able to keep up with the Dutch tandem. A little later, Nikki Harris (Telenet-Fidea) went over the handlebars in one of the steep descents, and so did her compatriot Wyman. "I couldn't breathe properly. My throat is ok, but my lungs are not," Wyman said, referring to her illness from last week. On Friday, she had abandoned the evening cross in Diegem in order to stay healthy for this World Cup round. Wyman kept losing positions throughout the race and she eventually finished 14th; Harris stood strong and finished eighth.

Just behind the Dutch duo, Belgian champion Sanne Cant (Boxx-Veldritacademie) and Pauline Ferrand Prevot formed the first chase group. After the first lap, they trailed the leaders by five seconds, and one lap later, by almost half a minute. The two were then joined by Sanne van Paassen who made her comeback in Zolder after illness. "Early on I was boxed in, and I was far back in the group. It was the plan to take it easy in the beginning. It was hectic out there, and you notice that some girls technically don't ride that well," Van Paassen said.

During the third lap Cant dropped away in the lead group while Van Paassen and 19-year-old Ferrand Prevot exchanged accelerations. "Sanne slid away, and I think her chain dropped. Pauline had technical sections where she went better than me and the other way around," Van Paassen said. Just when Cant bridged back up in the chase group, Van Paassen powered away. Van Paassen easily captured third place while Cant held off Ferrand Prevo for fourth. "On the climb, I lost a lot of time. I'm satisfied because the last two weeks weren't great," Ferrand Prevot said.

Hanka Kupfernagel won the sprint of the second chase group. The experienced German woman hasn't been racing much cyclo-cross this season, and she was very pleased with the outcome in Zolder. "Did I finish sixth? That's much more than expected. During the first lap, I thought about leaving the race if nobody would see me. Then I noticed many riders made mistakes, and I realized that I had to bide my time," Kupernagel said. The German woman outsprinted Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (CC Etupes) and Harris.

Caroline Mani (France) and Pavla Havlikova (Telenet-Fidea) completed the top-10. Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) didn't have a great ride. After a few crashes, she finished 16th in Zolder, just behind British riders Wyman and Gabriella Day (Renner-Raleigh).

Full Results

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Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit0:39:45
2Daphny Van Den Brand (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl Cycling Team0:00:29
3Sanne Van Paassen (Ned) Brainwash Wielerploeg0:01:11
4Sanne Cant (Bel) Boxx Veldritacademie0:01:21
5Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Lapierre International0:01:30
6Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger)0:01:40
7Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra)0:01:43
8Nikki Harris (GBr) Telenet - Fidea0:01:46
9Caroline Mani (Fra)0:01:59
10Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Telenet - Fidea0:02:06
11Linda Van Rijen (Ned) Skil - Koga0:02:08
12Jasmin Achermann (Swi)0:02:09
13Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Gauss0:02:14
14Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing0:02:21
15Gabriella Day (GBr)0:02:26
16Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld.Com0:02:39
17Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Focus MIG Team0:02:47
18Christine Majerus (Lux) Team GSD Gestion0:03:04
19Ellen Van Loy (Bel)0:03:18
20Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Rapha Focus0:03:38
21Arenda Grimberg (Ned)0:03:46
22Nikoline Hansen (Den)0:03:52
23Hilde Quintens (Bel)0:03:55
24Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Brainwash Wielerploeg0:04:01
25Amy Dombroski (USA) Crankbrothers - The Race Club0:04:38
26Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams0:04:52
27Martina Mikulaskova (Cze)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill / Seven Cycles0:04:59
29Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco Cycling Team0:05:16
30Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel)0:05:35
31Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept0:05:42
32Kim Van De Steene (Bel)0:05:59
33Katrien Thijs (Bel)0:06:46
34Tessa Van Nieuwpoort (Ned)Row 33 - Cell 2
-1lapMargriet Helena Kloppenburg (Den)Row 34 - Cell 2
-1lapSarah Stewart (Can)Row 35 - Cell 2
-2lapsShana Maes (Bel)Row 36 - Cell 2
DNFSophie De Boer (Ned) Telenet - FideaRow 37 - Cell 2
DNFReza Hormes (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
DNSMadara Furmane (Lat)Row 39 - Cell 2
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Elite women world cup standings after five rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Daphny Van Den Brand (Ned) AA Drink - Leontien.nl Cycling Team226pts
2Sanne Van Paassen (Ned) Brainwash Wielerploeg180Row 1 - Cell 3
3Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit170Row 2 - Cell 3
4Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra)170Row 3 - Cell 3
5Sanne Cant (Bel) Boxx Veldritacademie159Row 4 - Cell 3
6Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank - Giant Off-Road Team150Row 5 - Cell 3
7Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing143Row 6 - Cell 3
8Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Telenet - Fidea119Row 7 - Cell 3
9Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team105Row 8 - Cell 3
10Nikki Harris (GBr) Telenet - Fidea88Row 9 - Cell 3
11Sophie De Boer (Ned) Telenet - Fidea86Row 10 - Cell 3
12Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Focus Mig Team81Row 11 - Cell 3
13Gabriella Day (GBr)79Row 12 - Cell 3
14Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Brainwash Wielerploeg74Row 13 - Cell 3
15Amy Dombroski (USA) Crankbrothers - The Race Club68Row 14 - Cell 3
16Jasmin Achermann (Swi)68Row 15 - Cell 3
17Arenda Grimberg (Ned)65Row 16 - Cell 3
18Caroline Mani (Fra)63Row 17 - Cell 3
19Linda Van Rijen (Ned) Skil - Koga62Row 18 - Cell 3
20Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger)60Row 19 - Cell 3
21Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Lapierre International59Row 20 - Cell 3
22Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld.Com50Row 21 - Cell 3
23Ellen Van Loy (Bel)47Row 22 - Cell 3
24Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Gauss44Row 23 - Cell 3
25Martina Mikulaskova (Cze)37Row 24 - Cell 3
26Meredith Miller (USA) California Giant Cycling35Row 25 - Cell 3
27Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill / Seven Cycles34Row 26 - Cell 3
28Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel)34Row 27 - Cell 3
29Nicole Duke (USA) Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld.Com31Row 28 - Cell 3
30Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Farbe Sudtirol30Row 29 - Cell 3
31Christine Majerus (Lux) Team Gsd Gestion27Row 30 - Cell 3
32Reza Hormes (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team27Row 31 - Cell 3
33Hilde Quintens (Bel)26Row 32 - Cell 3
34Nikoline Hansen (Den)26Row 33 - Cell 3
35Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Rapha Focus24Row 34 - Cell 3
36Tessa Van Nieuwpoort (Ned)17Row 35 - Cell 3
37Nicole De Bie - Leyten (Bel) Telenet - Fidea14Row 36 - Cell 3
38Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe)12Row 37 - Cell 3
39Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita)11Row 38 - Cell 3
40Kajsa Snihs (Swe)10Row 39 - Cell 3
41Vania Rossi (Ita)9Row 40 - Cell 3
42Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams9Row 41 - Cell 3
43Gesa Bruchmann (Ger)8Row 42 - Cell 3
44Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi)5Row 43 - Cell 3
45Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco Cycling Team4Row 44 - Cell 3
46Katherine Sherwin (USA) Stan's No Tubes2Row 45 - Cell 3
47Martina Zwick (Ger) Abus Nutrixxion1Row 46 - Cell 3
48Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra)1Row 47 - Cell 3

 

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