Briton’s Anna Kay (Starcasino CX Team) won the second round Ethias Cross at GP Leuven on Saturday. She took her first victory of the cyclo-cross season with a solid showing in the mud over Dutch pair of Ellen van Loy, who was 47 seconds back in second, and Laura Verdonschot, 1:13 back.
It was Kay’s second race back to action after she was hit by a driver on a training ride in mid September, requiring surgery to repair a broken collarbone and torn ligaments. She finished eighth at Superprestige Jaarmarktcross on Thursday.
Kay was dominant around the track after Van Loy had taken the early lead with the hole shot. She did take a fall halfway through the race, but Van Loy could not get closer than 35 seconds on the bell lap.
“I am very pleasantly surprised that I was able to win today. Thursday I already turned eight and that surprised me a bit. But that I can immediately triumph in my second cross is very nice,” Kay said after the race to Nieuwsblad.be. “I made a first gap on the beams. Then I could further deepen that lead and I could continue my own race without being hindered by riders in front of me.”
| Pos. | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anna Kay (GBr) Starcasino CX Team | 0:49:58 |
| 2 | Ellen van Loy (Bel) | 0:00:47 |
| 3 | Laura Verdonschot (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal | 0:01:13 |
| 4 | Amira Mellor (GBr) Team Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus | 0:01:29 |
| 5 | Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) Iko - Crelan | 0:02:17 |
| 6 | Maud Kaptheijns (Ned) CX Team Deschacht-Group Hens-Containers Maes | 0:03:08 |
| 7 | Josie Nelson (GBr) | 0:03:09 |
| 8 | Xan Crees (GBr) Team Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus | 0:04:19 |
| 9 | Susanne Meistrok (Ned) Proximus - Alphamotorhomes - Doltcini CT | 0:04:51 |
| 10 | Sterre Vervloet (Bel) | 0:04:58 |
| 11 | Julie Brouwers (Bel) | 0:05:02 |
| 12 | Lara Defour (Bel) | 0:05:33 |
| 13 | Barbara Borowiecka (Pol) | 0:05:44 |
| 14 | Loes Sels (Bel) Proximus - Alphamotorhomes - Doltcini CT | 0:06:06 |
| 15 | Bibi Verzijl (Ned) | 0:06:46 |
| 16 | Femke Gort (Ned) BNS Technics - Groep T.O.M | 0:06:49 |
| 17 | Lotte Baele (Bel) | 0:07:18 |
| 18 | Lies´L Schevenels (Bel) | 0:07:22 |
| 19 | Tessa Zwaenepoel (Bel) Proximus - Alphamotorhomes - Doltcini CT | |
| 20 | Allison Arensman (USA) Velorevolution Wpcycles | |
| 21 | Maïté Barthels (Lux) | |
| 22 | Corey Coogan Cisek (USA) Velorevolution Wpcycles | |
| 23 | Xenna de Bruyckere (Bel) | |
| 24 | Pem Hoefmans (Ned) | |
| 25 | Audrey de Keersmaeker (Bel) Starcasino CX Team | |
| 26 | Caren Commissaris (Bel) | |
| 27 | Rosanne Breugelmans (Bel) BNS Technics - Groep T.O.M | |
| 28 | Mara Schwager (Ger) | |
| 29 | Sara Michielsens (Bel) | |
| 30 | Layla Barthels (Lux) | |
| DNF | Marie van de Kerkhof (Bel) | |
| DNF | Mirthe van den Brande (Bel) |
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