Nash wins elite women's race at Azencross

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Vos and Van Loy round out podium

Katerina Nash (Luna Pro) wins the Namur World Cup

Katerina Nash (Luna Pro) wins the Namur World Cup (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Racing) won a tough edition of the Azencross, sixth round of the Bpost Bank Trophy cyclo-cross series in Loenhout on Tuesday afternoon. The Czech Champion and US-resident held off World Champion Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) in a true mudder. Ellen Van Loy (Young Telenet-Fidea) finished third at 50 seconds from Nash and moves back to 1:01 minutes from series leader Sophie de Boer (Kalas-NNOF) in the general classification.

De Boer finished ninth at 2:32 from winner Nash in Loenhout. Road World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) abandoned the race in the second of four laps, while riding in sixth place.

Temperatures just above freezing point turned the snow-covered course into a muddy, wet challenge with ice water as cherry on the cake. Nash rode a nearly perfect race in tough circumstances, profiting from the excellent form that also delivered the 37-year-old victories at the Czech Championships and the World Cup round in Namur.

She quickly moved ahead of fast starters Helen Wyman (Kona Factory Team) and De Boer, moving away from the rest of the pack together with Van Loy and Vos. Behind her UCI-classification leader Sanne Cant had a rough day, crashing twice but somehow fighting herself towards fifth place at 1:50 from Nash.

The three leaders briefly rode together as Nash powered away, excelling in the deep mud. Van Loy and Vos managed to keep Nash in sight. A small mistake from Nash brought Vos back within touching distance. Nash clearly found her second breath and steamed away from Vos and Van Loy, creating a gap of 15 seconds.

This time Nash held on to her lead and grabbed the win. Vos finished as runner-up at 23 seconds from Nash. Van Loy managed yet another podium result. Harris was fourth ahead of Cant, who lost 1:50 on Nash. Wyman had a good second half of the race, finishing ahead of Verschueren, Sels and De Boer. The series leader lost 1:42 on Van Loy in Loenhout but still has another minute to spare.

US rider Elle Anderson (Kalas-NNOF) finished in 10th place.

 

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team0:43:17
2Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Women Team0:00:23
3Ellen Van Loy (Bel) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:00:50
4Nikki Harris (GBr) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:01:13
5Sanne Cant (Bel) Enertherm - BKCP0:01:50
6Helen Wyman (GBr) Konfa FFSA Factory Team0:02:12
7Jolien Verschueren (Bel) Wielerteam Decock-Woningbouw Vandekerckhove0:02:18
8Loes Sels (Bel) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:02:32
9Sophie De Boer (Ned) Kalas-NNOF Cycling TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Elle Anderson (USA) Kalas-NNOF Cycling Team0:02:49
11Pavla Havlikova (Cze) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:02:59
12Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned)0:03:32
13Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra)0:04:16
14Crystal Anthony (USA)0:04:26
15Githa Michiels (Bel)0:04:30
16Katrien Thijs (Bel) Kleur Op Maat cyclingteam0:04:46
17Laure Bouteloup (Fra)0:05:23
18Lucinda Brand (Ned)0:05:51
19Gabriella Durrin (GBr)0:05:58
20Asa Maria Erlandsson (Nor)0:06:10
21Laura Verdonschot (Bel) AA Drink-B.R.I.S. Cycling Team0:06:25
22Esmee Oosterman (Ned) AA Drink-B.R.I.S. Cycling Team0:06:31
23Erica Zaveta (USA)0:07:11
24Lizzy Witlox (Ned) Kleur Op Maat cyclingteam0:07:26
25Shana Maes (Bel) AA Drink-B.R.I.S. Cycling Team0:07:33
26Diane Lee (GBr)0:07:36
27Sarah Lomas (GBr)0:08:17
28Stephanie De Croock (Bel) Wielerclub De Sprinters Malderen0:08:24
29Lindy Van Anrooij (Ned)0:08:30
30Corey Coogan Cisek (USA)0:08:59
31Kim Van De Steene (Bel) Afdeling Oost-Vlaanderen WBV - VZW0:09:05
32Francine Meehan (Fra)0:09:07
33Gertie Willems ((Bel) Kleur Op Maat cyclingteamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Mirjam Gysling (Swi)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Ksenia Lepikhina (USA)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Joyce Heyns (Bel) De Kastelse Durvers V.Z.W.Row 35 - Cell 2
37Anja Geldhof (Bel)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Maaike De Heij (Ned) WV De ValleirennersRow 37 - Cell 2
39Tine Verdeyen (Bel) Cycling Team Zemst VZWRow 38 - Cell 2
40Jessika Timmermans (Bel) Hageland Cycling TeamRow 39 - Cell 2
41Marijke De Pauw (Bel) WK Noord West BrabantRow 40 - Cell 2
42Chris Van Dorsselaere (Bel) Rudyco-Janatrans Cycling TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43Iris Van Der Pol (Ned)Row 42 - Cell 2

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