Marion Norbert Riberolle lead Crelan-Corendon one-two at Azencross Loenhout

Marion Norbert Riberolle (Crelan-Corendon) came out on top in the fifth round of the Exact Cross series, the Azencross in Loenhout. The Belgian won solo to beat her teammate Sanne Cant to the win, her first cyclocross victory since the Exact Cross in Essen in October.

Riberolle and Cant found themselves at the head of the race on the third of five laps, but it was 25-year-old Riberolle who raced to the finish first after taking advantage of a slower dismount by Cant on the penultimate lap.

Cant eventually rolled across the line to take second place 23 seconds down. Back in the chase group, which had lost time ever since being distanced on lap three, it was Imogen Wolff (Visma-Lease A Bike) who rounded out the podium, 40 seconds down.

"I am super happy. I decided in consultation with my coach and the team to start here because it was a chance for a win," Riberolle said after her win, according to WielerFlits. "However, I didn't feel so good today during the recon. My legs were very heavy and it was not easy. I was also a bit too sleepy at the start.

"I have a lot of respect for [Cant]. She used to be my idol. But in the final, I didn't wait and I took my chances. For my morale, it's very good that I can win here."

Nestled deep among the busy Christmas schedule, the Azencross was run between the UCI World Cup rounds in Gavere and Besançon. As such, few of the world's top-ranked riders were lining up at the start of the women's race.

The season's top riders, Lucinda Brand, Fem van Empel and Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado, were all missing, as were other major names including Puck Pieterse, Laura Verdonschot, Annemarie Worst, Zöe Backstedt, and Marie Schreiber.

Still, there was plenty of competition for the win on a misty and near-freezing afternoon in Flanders.

The opening lap saw an elite group hit the front of the race with former world champion Sanne Cant (Crelan-Corendon) joined by Lauren Molengraaf (Charles-Liégeois Roastery), Larissa Hartog (Orange Babies), and Anna Kay (Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes).

The quartet pushed on to record a 10-minute opening lap, though more riders would work their way across before Cant and Kay pushed on alone.

That two-woman move didn't last long, either, though, with Cant hitting a deep rut in the mud midway through the lap and falling. Kay took evasive action, but before long the pair were caught by several others.

Hartog, Marion Norbert Riberolle (Crelan-Corendon), Imogen Wolff (Visma-Lease A Bike), and Julie Brouwers (Charles-Liégeois Roastery) caught on to make it six up front into what would be the third of five laps.

The newly former status quo wouldn't hold as Cant ventured off the front once more, this time solo. The Belgian champion's teammate Riberolle was the woman who led the chase behind, and by the end of the lap she had soloed away from the rest and made it a Crelan-Corendon duo in the lead for the final two laps.

Kay, Wolff, Hartog, Molengraaf, and Brouwers were in the battle for third place, though the group were well out of contention for the race victory.

Up the road, Cant continued to lead Riberolle, with neither woman making a move from too far out. The leading order was reversed towards the end of the lap, however, with Riberolle getting the upper hand as the pair dismounted on a section of thick mud.

Cant's slowdown meant Riberolle was able to open up an eight-second gap as the bell rung to kick off the closing lap. A top-two spot was in the bag, at least, with the chasing group languishing 40 seconds off the lead.

Wolff had led the group ahead of Kay for much of the pursuit, and she duly pulled away at the front on midway through the final lap of the race. Wolff secured third place at 40 seconds behind the winner, with Cant fading to finish second at 23 seconds down.

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