19-year-old Blanka Vas (Doltcini Van Eyck Sport) stepped up from her series of recent placings to win the Ethias Cross in Bredene, attacking from the start and powering away to a solo victory.
The Hungarian national champion has already impressed at under 23 level and took advantage of the absence of Lucinda Brand, world Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Marianne Vos to take a major elite win.
Sanne Cant (Iko-Crelan) fought back to take second place, while Alicia Frank (Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Doltcini) beat US national champion Clara Honsinger (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld) for the final podium spot in a sprint.
Honsinger seemed ahead in the final hundred metres but Frank took the final podium spot by inches with a perfectly-timed bike through.
Vas crashed at speed mid-race, sliding out on the muddy grass, but she picked herself up and pushed on to win by a significant 1:14 ahead of Cant.
“I’m really happy. It’s my best result this season and in my career,” she explained.
| Pos. | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blanka Kata Vas (Hun) Doltcini Van Eyck Sport | 0:42:20 |
| 2 | Sanne Cant (Bel) Iko-Crelan | 0:01:14 |
| 3 | Alicia Franck (Bel) Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Doltcini CT | 0:01:15 |
| 4 | Clara Honsinger (USA) Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld | 0:01:16 |
| 5 | Aniek van Alphen (Ned) Credishop-Fristads | 0:02:46 |
| 6 | Margaret Norbert Riberolle | 0:02:56 |
| 7 | Anna Kay (GBr) Starcasino CX Team | 0:03:09 |
| 8 | Christine Majerus | 0:03:33 |
| 9 | Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Bizkaia-Durango | 0:03:35 |
| 10 | Rebecca Fahringer (USA) | 0:03:58 |
-
'I saved it for the last lap' - Tibor Del Grosso put pressure on Thibau Nys across final hill to secure silver in first elite appearance at Cyclo-cross World Championships
'I think it proves that I belong in the top of the sport' two-time U23 'cross world champion confirmed -
Arianna Fidanza sprints to victory at Pionera Race-SCV
Laboral Kutxa-Euskadi grabs ninth team victory on early season, with Laura Asencio's second place a milestone for new French team Ma Petite Entreprise -
'I was prepared for any scenario' – Mathieu van der Poel says he took more caution as he chased record-breaking eighth cyclo-cross world title
'Maybe it's not a bad idea to skip one winter' Dutchman adds as he turns focus to upcoming road season -
Thibau Nys gets stuck on wrong tyres after late rainfall and salvages bronze for Belgium at Cyclo-cross World Championships
'Losing a couple of seconds every corner was not nice, but Mathieu was the strongest, so we don't really have the feeling that we missed out on a title or anything'
